phd hematology uk

Postgraduate Research

Haematology and Leukaemia PhD / MPhil / MD

Part time available: yes

Studying in:

institute-of-systems-molecular-and-integrative-biology
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences

The University has invested over £20million in cancer research which has been used for the creation of several new posts in the Department, and in the establishment of the University of Liverpool Cancer Research Centre (ULCRC) building.

Why study with us?

I choose to specialise in Haematology and Leukaemia to learn the most cutting edge techniques used in the field but namely, the integration between clinical and research methods together to aim for more accurate prognosis and higher rates of prevention. Faten Yasin - Haematology and Leukaemia PhD student

academic members of staff.

registered postgraduate research students.

Our commitment to cancer research has resulted in the launch of Liverpool Cancer Research UK Centre – an organisation that brings together scientists, clinicians and local stakeholders to lead and deliver cancer research of the highest quality and importance.

Haemato-oncology is one of Liverpool’s recognised strengths with scientific expertise in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) and lymphoproliferative disorders and strong clinical leadership that includes chairmanship of the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Haematological Oncology CSG and CML Subgroup and membership of the Lymphoma CSG and Subgroups for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), High Grade Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas (HG-NHL) and Low Grade Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas (LG-NHL).

Professor Andrew Pettitt leads a large programme of clinical and translational research focussed on lymphoid malignancy with strong links with industry and national collaborative groups in lymphoma and haematological oncology.

Our research interests

Clinical studies conducted with the intent to advance therapies to the clinic or develop principles for application of therapeutics to human disease
Non-human or non-clinical studies conducted with the intent to advance therapies to the clinic or develop principles for application of therapeutics to human disease
Investigations in humans which define the biology of disease and provide the scientific foundation for the development of new or improved therapies for human disease
Any clinical trial of a therapy that was initiated based on the above.

Research themes

Our research themes include:

In Chronic Lymphocyte Leukeamia (CLL) Protein Kinase C (PKC) and c-abl in B-cell receptor signalling have been found to be important in the selection and perpetuation of the malignant clone
In hairy cells constitutive PKC-dependent ERK activation has been identified as central to malignant cell survival and oxidant production by NOX-5 has been shown to be of importance in constitutive activation
Current work is focused on defining CLL subgroups on the basis of signalling profiles, on the control of adhesion-receptor expression in CLL and on the oncogenic origin of the constitutive signals of hairy cells
Translational work has identified Akt and Hsp90 as worthy molecular targets for novel therapy
The Clinical Trials Advisory and Awards Committee (CTAAC) -funded PACIFIC [RiChFlo] phase III trial will compare two different induction regimens for follicular lymphoma. Currently available biomarkers do not identify all patients with aggressive, chemoresistant disease
To address this problem, a novel prognostic test has been developed that probes the functional integrity of the ATM-p53-p21 pathway
The Liverpool Leukaemia Bank houses >27,000 vials of viable CLL cells obtained from >400 patients. The group also hosts the Leukaemia Research Fund-funded UK CLL Trials Biobank
The Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML) research group is investigating how TKIs are transported into and out of cells and the immune response to BCR-ABL linked to phase I/II/III trials Comparative digital transcriptional profiling of canine and human uveal melanomas.

PhD students can take taught modules - on either a formal basis with exams taken and a record of completion generated or less formally. Commonly, students use the opportunity to upskill in areas like bioinformatics and statistics, but modules on defined areas of biology are also available. A wide variety of further development opportunities are available from the PGR Development Hub .

The Institutes research infrastructure is designed to give researchers access to world class facilities in the best possible environment.

Our facilities give us the ability to drive biomedical research from patient samples to the laboratory bench and vice versa from newly generated drug compounds into clinical trials. The departments of the Institute have the following facilities and resources:

Biomedical Imaging
Centre for Antimicrobial Pharmacodynamics
Centre for Drug Safety Science
Health Data Science Network
Centre for Preclinical Imaging
Clinical Trials Research Centre
Harris-Wellbeing Preterm Birth Research Centre
Liverpool Bio-Innovation Hub (LBIH) Biobank
Liverpool Cancer Trials Unit
MRC North West Hub for Trials Methodology Research
North West Cancer Research Centre – University of Liverpool
Pancreas Biomedical Research Unit
UK Experimental Arthritis Treatment Centre for Children
Wolfson Centre for Personalised Medicine.

Postgraduate researchers also benefit from flexible access to world-class equipment and expertise through the Shared Research Facilities.

Study options and fees

The fees below reflect one year of study during the 2024/25 academic year

The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.

* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.

^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only.

Entry requirements

Applicants for postgraduate research study at Liverpool are normally expected to hold a UK first degree with a First Class or Upper Second Class degree classification, or a Second Class degree plus a Master’s degree. Equivalent international qualifications are also accepted, and their equivalence will be evaluated on the basis of the information provided by the National Academic Recognition and Information Centre (NARIC) as well as internal guidance based on our experience of a qualification’s suitability as a preparation for our programmes.

English language requirements

How to apply.

Research degree applications can be made online. You'll also need to ensure that you have funding to cover all fees.

Applications are open all year round .

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Before you apply, we recommend that you identify a supervisor and develop a research proposal

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Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0)151 794 5455

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PhD in Haematology

Postgraduate Study

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The Department of Haematology is located on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus. Research in the department falls into three main areas with major relevance for human disease: The Haematopoiesis and Leukaemia Group, the Structural Medicine and Thrombosis Group, and the Transfusion Medicine Group.

Those research groups also belonging to the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute ( https://www.stemcells.cam.ac.uk/research/pis ) will be moving to a brand new purpose built facility on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus in late 2018/early 2019.

The department offers this three-year full-time PhD programme of research under individual supervision of principal investigators based in the Department of Haematology. This course can also be taken as a part-time option over six years. A full list of Haematology Principal Investigators can be found on the Department website.

PhD students on this course are based in a research group, supported by their primary supervisor and the CIMR Graduate Education Committee / CSCI Graduate Student Committee. There is no taught or examined course work, but students are encouraged to attend research seminars on the Biomedical Campus and elsewhere in the University, including the University Core Skills Training Programme.

Students write a dissertation, which is examined via an oral examination.

We welcome applications from graduates wanting to work towards a PhD, in any of the labs belonging to the Department of Haematology. Successful applicants must meet the University minimum academic admissions criteria, and applicants are encouraged to contact potential supervisors in the first instance, to discuss their application and funding possibilities. A list of Haematology Principal Investigators can be found on the Department of Haematology website.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of their PhD, students should:

have a thorough knowledge of the literature and a comprehensive understanding of scientific methods and techniques applicable to their own research;
be able to demonstrate originality in the application of knowledge, together with a practical understanding of how research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in their field;
have developed the ability to critically evaluate current research and research techniques and methodologies;
have self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems;
be able to act autonomously in the planning and implementation of research; and
have gained oral presentation and scientific writing skills.

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, doctor of philosophy, cambridge institute for medical research, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2019 (closed).

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Easter 2020

Funding deadlines (2018-19), similar courses.

Medical Science (Haematology) MPhil
Stem Cell Biology Wellcome Trust PhD
Medical Science (CIMR) PhD
Medical Science (CIMR) MPhil
Basic and Translational Neuroscience MPhil

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