Funded Opportunities at NDCN

Mabel Churn Scholarship in Ophthalmology

Every three years, St Cross College plans to invite applications for the Mabel Churn Scholarship from successful applicants normally resident in the UK who have an offer to begin studying at the University of Oxford for a DPhil research degree in the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences (NDCN) in any area of retinal research.

INTERVENTIONAL GENETICS AND ROBOTICS FOR RETINAL DISEASE GROUP

https://www.ndcn.ox.ac.uk/research/advanced-therapeutics-for-retinal-disease-kapetanovic-lab

Fully Funded Four-Year D.Phil. studentship

Project: Understanding retinal degeneration for the purpose of optogenetic vision restoration

Supervisors:

Dr Jasmina Cehajic Kapetanovic (www.ndcn.ox.ac.uk/team/jasmina-kapetanovic)

and Dr Matteo Rizzi (https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/25636-matteo-rizzi)

Inherited retinal degenerations are the leading cause of blindness in working age population. Despite this, there is only one approved gene therapy treatment for RPE65-related disease and several others in development. These therapies may not be suitable in late-stage degenerations with significant photoreceptor loss. Here optogenetic therapy has potential to restore vision.

In this ambitious project, you will aim to answer several fundamental questions related to our understanding of molecular and cellular basis of retinal degeneration, before optogenetic therapy can be translated into the clinic. If successful, the therapy has potential to treat any type of retinal degeneration (pan-retinal or macular) irrespective of genetic mutation. This research project will be conducted within the NDCN which provides a dedicated centre for eye research within the John Radcliffe Hospital site. The infrastructure provided is world class and space, research facilities and technical support on the proposed project will be readily available on site. In addition, there is an excellent offering of seminars, thematic group meetings and training courses, all presenting opportunities for engagement and collaboration. Parts of the project involving functional assays are also planned at UCL.

Apart from overarching supervision by Dr Kapetanovic and Dr Rizzi with unparalleled expertise in this field, you will have access to bench-side support from postdoctoral scientists in the group and work alongside several other DPhil students. Our group has active collaborations with institutes and biotechnology companies worldwide. As clinician scientists, we are dedicated to translating research findings to benefit our patients.

Eligibility: This studentship is fully funded through the prestigious Fight for Sight Award, UKVRN DTP, and is open to both Home and Overseas students.

Award Value: Please note that this studentship covers UK home fees only. Overseas students would need to pay the difference between home and international fees themselves. The stipend (tax-free maintenance grant) is Y1 £21,612; Y2 £22,476; Y3 £23,375, Y4 24,310. Continuation fees can be negotiated in exceptional circumstances. The successful candidate is strongly encouraged to present at National and International conferences and costs will be covered. All project related consumables are also covered.

Application Procedure

Informal enquiries are encouraged and should be addressed to Dr Jasmina Cehajic Kapetanovic (jasmina.kapetanovic@eye.ox.ac.uk).

Please contact graduate@ndcn.ox.ac.uk with any admission process-related questions.

Candidates must submit a graduate application form and are expected to meet the graduate admissions criteria. Details are available here.

Please quote 26NDCN03 in all correspondence and in your graduate application.

Application deadline: noon Tuesday 3^rd March 2026.

STUDENTSHIP IN PAIN MECHANISMS

Investigating the role of hormonal and circadian mechanisms in pain

Pain is an essential protective signal that alerts us to actual or potential tissue damage. When pain persists or becomes dysregulated, it can drive chronic pain disorders with major personal and societal burden. Many pain conditions also fluctuate across the day and differ by sex, suggesting that timing and biological state are integral to the mechanisms that generate pain.

This studentship will combine multidisciplinary approaches to understand the role of biological rhythms in pain using advanced in vitro human pain models. Your work will be aligned to the new MRC complex in vitro models initiative. You will be based at the world leading Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery and part of the Sir Jules Thorne Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute (SCNi).

This work will allow identification of new cellular targets for the development of future treatment strategies in pain which take into account sex and time-of-day dependent effects. You will learn advanced cell culture, functional assay and omics.

To be considered for this studentship, please submit an application to the DPhil in Clinical Neurosciences by 29th April 2026.

On the application form, in the section headed ‘Departmental Studentship Applications’, you must indicate that you are applying for a studentship and enter the reference code for this studentship '26NDCN03'.

Please note that this studentship covers UK home fees only and UKRI matched stipend, and an offer of a place is dependent on a college place being available.

If you have any questions in relationship to this studentship, please contact zameel.cader@ndcn.ox.ac.uk

studentships in neuroimmunology

Exploring the role of immune-driven diseases in the central nervous system

The Oxford Centre for Neuroinflammation, led by Professor Lars Fugger and Dr Kate Attfield explores the role of the immune system in diseases that cause lasting damage to the brain and spinal cord, with the aim to develop safer and better treatment options for patients. With a multi-disciplinary team of basic scientists, clinicians, bioinformaticians and world-leading collaborative partners, our research utilizes powerful new technologies to capture vital information from clinical samples, including blood, spinal fluid and brain tissue, which is then analysed using new and evolving machine learning tools.

Two studentships are available as part of the research group, focusing on two discrete areas of our research strategy, with a particular focus on multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Both projects are lab-based and do not require bioinformatics expertise.

Project 1 - Gene-environment interactions that determine MS risk

Infections, in particular exposure to Epstein-Barr virus, substantially increases the likelihood of a person developing MS. However, with most people exposed to this and other common viruses, why some people develop MS while most do not remains unknown. This study aims to explore how the immune system in genetically vulnerable individuals is shaped by viral infections and to develop a strategy for how to differentiate between immune responses that provide protection from those that cause harm.

Project 2 - Understanding the role of the immune system in neurodegeneration

Neurodegeneration is typically defined by the functional and physical decline of neurons, which causes cumulative clinical deficits and involves a composite of biological processes that culminate in eventual neuronal loss. However, the role of the immune system in these processes is unclear, despite diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) being driven by overt immune responses within the CNS that are only damped by immunosuppressive treatments. This project aims to develop in vitro model systems to understand cellular interactions between immune cells and brain-resident cells using conditions that mirror those observed in patients. Complemented by data obtained from patient samples, this project will explore the development and implementation of new drug targets that act at the site of tissue destruction, with the aim to slow or halt neuronal decline.

Both studentships will support the development of many laboratory-based skills, including processing and handling of primary cells from patients, functional in vitro assays, single cell -omics, and pre-clinical drug development and testing. D.Phil students are supported by an in-house team and by an international network of collaborators, who will provide wet-lab and bioinformatics support throughout.

To be considered for one of these studentships, please submit an application to the DPhil in Clinical Neurosciences by 2^nd March 2026.

Please note that these studentship positions cover UK home fees only and UKRI-matched stipend, and an offer of a place is dependent on a college place being available.

If you have any questions in relationship to this studentship, please contact Professor Lars Fugger (lars.fugger@ndcn.ox.ac.uk) or Dr Kate Attfield (kate.attfield@ndcn.ox.ac.uk)

NDCN scholarships

NDCN offers a number of fully-funded scholarships for students, funded from a variety of sources including Department funding, the Wellcome Trust, MRC, and the Clarendon Fund. If you apply to the December deadline then your application will be automatically included for consideration for one of these awards. Most scholarships are awarded between February and June.

ICASE 2026/27 (MRC ENTERPRISE STUDENTSHIP PROGRAMMe)

Eight industrial CASE (iCASE) studentships are available for doctoral study at Oxford, to start in October 2026.

Applications to the MRC Enterprise studentship programme must be received by 12 noon (UK time) Tuesday 2 December 2025.

How to apply for iCASE

You should complete a DPhil application via the central application system, stating the name of the project you would like to be considered for and the supervisors’ names in the relevant application sections. Please seek supervisor support before applying. There is no need to include a project proposal with your application, if you are only applying for an iCase project, as you are applying for a studentship for a specific project.

How to apply for both iCASE and ALSO standard DPhil admission

You are allowed to submit one application for both an iCASE application and a standard DPhil application together. However, please note that for a standard DPhil application, you must secure the support of a prospective supervisor for your project before applying. For more information about this, please see the section on our prospective students' page about finding a supervisor.

When completing your application form, state both the iCASE project you are applying for AND your own project title. In the supervisors’ names’ section, list your proposed DPhil supervisor(s) for your own standard project, but also include the word iCASE. If you are applying for both, you must include a project proposal for your standard project (but not for the iCase project). Once received, your application will be considered for both iCASE and standard DPhil admission at the same time, providing a project proposal is included for a standard DPhil project.

If no project proposal is included for a standard DPhil project, your application will only be considered for the iCase project.

Restorative Neural Dynamics CoRE

There are six projects available this year.

Applications must be received by 12 noon (UK time) Tuesday 2 December 2025. Use code 26NDCN01MRC on your application.

How to apply for CORE

You should complete a DPhil application via the central application system, stating the name of the project you would like to be considered for and the supervisors’ names in the relevant application sections. Please seek supervisor support before applying, and apply for only 1 CoRE project. There is no need to include a project proposal with your application, if you are only applying for a CoRE project, as you are applying for a studentship for a specific project. Use code 26NDCN01MRC on your application.

How to apply for both core and ALSO standard DPhil admission

You are allowed to submit one application for both an CoRE application and a standard DPhil application together. However, please note that for a standard DPhil application, you must secure the support of a prospective supervisor for your project before applying. For more information about this, please see the section on our prospective students' page about finding a supervisor.

When completing your application form, state both the CoRE project you are applying for AND your own project title. In the supervisors’ names’ section, list your proposed DPhil supervisor(s) for your own standard project, but also include the word CoRE. If you are applying for both, you must include a project proposal for your standard project (but not for the CoRE project). Once received, your application will be considered for both CoRE and standard DPhil admission at the same time, providing a project proposal is included for a standard DPhil project.

If no project proposal is included for a standard DPhil project, your application will only be considered for the CoRE project.

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