About the Project
Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership
The Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership (MIBTP) is a BBSRC funded Doctoral Training Partnership between Coventry University, the University of Warwick, the University of Birmingham, the University of Leicester, Aston University and Harper Adams University.
Students from a wide diversity of academic backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Projects are available for excellent students in our Research Centre for Discoveries in Life Sciences
Project Outline
Background: Survival outcomes for cancer patients have significantly improved due to advances in early detection and treatment. Despite progress in systemic anti-cancer therapies (SACT)—whether traditional chemotherapy, targeted agents, or immunotherapy—clinical use is frequently constrained by treatment-related toxicity.
In thoracic malignancies (mainly lung and oesophageal cancer), radiotherapy (RT) can lead to long-term complications such as cardiac disease, pneumonitis, or lung fibrosis. Radiotherapy-induced cardiac toxicity (RICT) in patients with intra-thoracic cancers remains less studied, even though the heart often receives substantial doses in these cases.
With the increasing use of significant (SACT)—such as immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy or another immunotherapy agent—and multi-modality treatment approaches, it is becoming progressively more challenging to accurately attribute observed toxicities to a specific cause or underlying mechanism.
Preclinical studies have suggested a potential role for miRNA profiling and proteomic signatures as radiosensitizing biomarkers predictive of RT response and prognosis.
Hypothesis: Circulating biomarkers, such as miRNAs and multi-omics, undergo identifiable and measurable changes during and following treatment for cancer, compared to pre-treatment baseline. Some of these changes may be associated either with known treatment parameters or predictive for cardiac or lung toxicity.
Aim: To identify changes following treatment for cancer, compared to pre-treatment baseline, as well as differential miRNA expression in two-group comparisons (patients receiving chemoRT/RT versus significant SACT). We anticipate that this approach could lead to identification of novel circulating cardiotoxicity biomarkers for early detection of treatment toxicity in cancer survivors, and furthermore a machine learning approach could identify cancer patient at risk of developing cardiotoxicity.
Studentship details
As an MIBTP Scholar you will join a comprehensive Training Programme that runs concurrently with your PhD.
- Full tuition fees (at UK rate)*
- A tax free annual stipend (currently £21,805 in academic year 2026-27)
- A travel/conference budget
- A generous consumables budget
- Use of a MacBook Pro for the duration of the programme.
*Coventry University will fund the difference between the UK tuition fee rate and the international tuition fee rate.
Entry criteria
- Minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average
- An adequate proficiency in English must be demonstrated by applicants whose first language is not English. The general requirement is a minimum overall IELTS Academic score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each of the four sections, or the TOEFL iBT test with a minimum overall score of 95 with a minimum of 21 in each of the four sections.
Find out more about Coventry University's entry criteria.
More information
In order to apply for a Midlands Integrative Biosciences Training Partnership PhD you must:
Check your eligibility.
- Complete the ED&I form, which also acts as an expression of interest in MIBTP and helps us monitor our ED&I commitments at every step of the application process
- Our academic directors and the shortlisting panel do not have access to the EDI form and will not see your EDI responses
- Complete an application form
- Review the MIBTP Data Privacy PolicyLink to understand how we process your personal data.
To find out more information, contact Katie.Choudhry@coventry.ac.uk for administrative questions.
Visit the frequently asked questions page.
Funding Notes
Tuition fees and stipend