Decoding Retinal Specialisation: From Development to High-Acuity Vision

This PhD will investigate how molecular and cellular programmes shape retinal specialisation and ultimately visual function. The student will combine complementary approaches spanning human developmental retinal tissue, genetically tractable experimental models, molecular profiling and quantitative high-resolution imaging.

The project will investigate when and where key developmental programmes emerge, how they influence retinal cell identity and spatial organisation, and how perturbing these processes alters retinal structure and function. Depending on the student's interests, approaches may include spatial and single-cell transcriptomics, multiplex molecular imaging, advanced microscopy, genetic manipulation of model systems and quantitative assessment of retinal structure and visual behaviour. Computational approaches will be used to integrate molecular, cellular, imaging and functional datasets.

The project offers interdisciplinary training in genomics, imaging and quantitative biology, while allowing the student substantial scope to shape the scientific direction of the PhD. Ultimately, it aims to uncover general principles by which complex neural tissues are organised to generate specialised sensory function.

Techniques that will be undertaken during the project

Human developmental retinal tissue; tissue preparation and histology; immunofluorescence and multiplex molecular imaging; confocal/high-resolution microscopy; single-cell and/or spatial transcriptomics; RNA sequencing; molecular biology; zebrafish genetics and developmental biology; CRISPR-based genetic perturbation; quantitative retinal imaging; visual behaviour/functional phenotyping; image analysis; bioinformatics; statistical and computational analysis of multimodal biological datasets.

Enquiries

Project Enquiries to Dr Mervyn Thomas

Programme enquiries to mibtp-admin@leicester.ac.uk

To apply please refer to

https://le.ac.uk/study/research-degrees/funded-opportunities/bbsrc-mibtp

Funding Notes

All MIBTP students will be provided with a 4 year studentship. This includes: Tuition fees at the UK fee rate*, a tax free stipend which for 2026/7 is £21,805 per year (2027/8 stipend to be confirmed), a travel allowance over years 1-3, a travel/conference budget, a generous consumables budget, use of a laptop for the duration of the programme. The University of Leicester will provide full overseas fee waivers for the duration of their study to all international students accepted at Leicester. The funder, UKRI, allows us to appoint up to 30% overseas students.