tested in clinical trial. In particular, our data point to the importance of folate for neuronal health, but this component may face additional translational boundaries in humans which will require refinement of the treatment.
The Tribble and Eva labs are seeking to recruit a PhD student to King’s College London, Wolfson SPaRC (Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre). In this PhD project, the successful candidate will confirm underlying mechanism of action of folate in the eye and in the cells affected in glaucoma, compare different folate supplements to overcome hurdles to retinal delivery, and determine the impact of common genetic variants in folate metabolism on these effects. The outcome of this research will be vital in maximising the potential clinical benefit of our treatment, and begin to introduce a personalised medicine approach to neuroprotection in glaucoma.
We are looking for a motivated student with a strong interest in neuroscience, vision, or neuroprotective medicine. The project will suit someone who will enjoy a balance of molecular benchwork, experimental pre-clinical models, -omics techniques, and who is keen to contribute to translational science with real clinical potential.
Essential criteria
- Applicants should have (or be expected to obtain) a bachelor’s degree with 2:1 honours. A 2:2 degree may be considered only where applicants also offer a master’s with Merit. This should be in neuroscience, optometry, or related subject area
- Experience working in a research/industry lab environment (>6 months)
- Excellent planning and organisational skills including the ability to work to and meet firm deadlines
- Commitment to high quality research and patient impact
- Excellent interpersonal skills to develop and maintain effective working relationships
- Ability to work under own initiative and to recognise when to seek guidance from others
Desirable criteria
- A Home Office Personal Licence
- Experience of histology, immunolabelling and microscopy
- Experience of cell culture (continuous and/or primary)
- Experience of basic molecular biology techniques (WB, qPCR etc.)
- Experience with bioinformatics
- Experience with Good Documentation Practices (GDP)
On the ‘Choosing a programme’ page, please select Wolfson Sensory, Pain and Regeneration Centre PhD Full-time.
More information on the department and the programme is available at the departmental prospectus page here: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/neuroscience/about/departments/wolfson
In your application, you will be asked to include:
- Academic Transcripts - where applicable, academic transcripts must be submitted with the online admissions application
- Details of your qualifications - you will need to attach copies
- Details of previous employment - please include your CV
- A personal statement describing your interests and why you wish to apply for this project. Please include this as an attachment rather than using the text box.
- Academic References – all admissions applications require one supporting reference. If the applicant is relying on their referees to submit a reference directly to the College after they have submitted their admissions application, then the applicant must ensure that (1) their chosen referee is made aware of the funding deadline (i.e. 7 days from application deadline) and (2) that the reference needs to be sent from an institutional email address.
In the Funding section, please tick box 5 and include the following reference: JT-IoPPN-GUK-27
Please note there is no need to complete the Research Proposal section in your application as the project has already been set. References must be received by the deadline for the applicant to be eligible. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Funding
Only home students are eligible.
The selected candidate will be funded by a Glaucoma UK studentship which is fully funded for three years full time. This includes home tuition fees (studentship not available to Overseas applicants), annual stipend at UKRI rate with London weighting, consumables/research costs.
To be treated as a Home student, candidates must meet one of the following criteria:
- A UK national (meeting residency requirements)
- Settled status
- Pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements)
- Indefinite leave to remain or enter
Enquiries
You may email Dr. James Tribble (james.tribble@kcl.ac.uk) for more information regarding the project and studentship. If you have any queries regarding the application process, please contact the Education support team at ioppn.pgr@kcl.ac.uk.
Application Deadline
- 20th September 2026 (23:59 GMT)
- Interviews likely to be 7th October 2026
