Injectable hydrogels for cartilage regeneration

About the Project

One full scholarship is available in the School of Biomedical Sciences in 2026/27. This scholarship is open to UK applicants and covers fees plus maintenance.

The School of Biomedical Sciences invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2026/27 for the Biomedical Sciences Alumni Studentship (John Findlay PhD Scholarship).

The award is open to full-time candidates (UK only) who meet the eligibility for a place on a PhD degree in the School of Biomedical Sciences. We especially welcome applications that connect to the school's core research areas including Physical Activity and Public Health.

Full description

Osteoarthritis is an increasing global socioeconomic burden. In the UK, one third of people over the age of 45 have sought treatment for osteoarthritis, costing the NHS £5B p.a. Articular cartilage repair is a key intervention strategy in the prevention of the progression of osteoarthritis. Cartilage has limited healing capacity, so initial minor damage progressively deteriorates to form symptomatic lesions of fibrillated tissue with reduced glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content. These structural and compositional changes reduce the tissue’s ability to support compressive loading, leading to further tissue degradation.

This project will develop self-assembling hybrid hydrogels containing peptides and GAGs which can be injected into damaged cartilage and restore tissue biomechanics. The ambition is that this new treatment will be offered to patients with early-stage cartilage damage to repair the tissue, treat symptoms, and delay or prevent the onset of osteoarthritis.

We will develop and patent the optimum hydrogel formulation. New living tissue models for cartilage damage will be established and used to assess the performance of our hydrogel. We will investigate how to inject biomaterials and understand the influence on tissue function. Finally, we will either assess the treatment in vivo or explore capability for using the hydrogel to deliver cell therapies, depending on your preference. Each stage will be guided by input from an orthopaedic surgeon to ensure real-world applicability.

You will develop skills in tissue and joint biomechanical testing, tissue culture, histological techniques, micro-CT imaging, biochemical and biophysical characterisation techniques, spectroscopic analysis, electron microscopy and medical device design, innovation and translation.

You will work within the multidisciplinary Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, a leading global centre of excellence in medical and biological engineering. You will be based in the School of Biomedical Sciences. Your multidisciplinary supervision team covers expertise in biological, mechanical and materials science expertise as well as the clinical user requirements necessary to develop a successful future therapeutic intervention.

Given the interdisciplinary nature of this project, we welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds including biomedical science, medical engineering and materials science and beyond. Potential applicants are encouraged to contact the project lead (Dr Hazel Fermor: h.l.fermor@leeds.ac.uk) for an informal discussion before making a formal application.

Entry Requirements

This award is only available to applicants who are eligible to pay fees at the UK Home fee rate.

Applicants to this scholarship in the School of Biomedical Sciences should normally have an Undergraduate degree of 2:1 or above (or international equivalent) in a relevant subject area. A Master’s degree is desirable, but not essential.

If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements. The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.

Other conditions:

• Applicants must not have been awarded or be currently studying for a doctoral degree.
• Awards must be taken up by 1st October 2026
• Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of hte University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship.

How to Apply

Please note that this is one of five advertised projects for the John Findlay PhD Scholarship, applicants should only submit one application for this award.

To apply for this scholarship opportunity applicants should complete an online application form and attach the following documentation to support their application.

• a full academic CV
• degree certificate and transcripts of marks
• Evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (if applicable)

To help us identify that you are applying for this scholarship project please ensure you provide the following information on your application form;

• Select PhD in Biological Science as your programme of study
• Give the full project title and name the supervisors listed in this advert
• For source of funding please state you are applying for a John Findlay PhD Scholarship.

For further information about the admissions process, please contact the FBS PGR Admissions Team: fbsgrad@leeds.ac.uk

Funding Notes

We are offering 1 full-time PhD scholarship in the School of Biomedical Sciences for one UK candidate, covering a maintenance grant matching the UKRI stipend (£21, 805 for 2025/26) and UK tuition fees for 4 years. The award will be made for one year in the first instance and renewable for a further period of up to two years, subject to satisfactory academic progress.