Novel multi-ion therapeutics in mineral formation for oral health

About the Project

A full PhD scholarship is available for an interdisciplinary project in the field of biomaterials. This is a BBSRC-funded scholarship, in partnership with industry, and is open to UK applicants. It covers UK/home fees plus an annual stipend of at least £23,780 from October 2026.

Do you have a background in materials science, chemistry, physics, biomedical engineering, or computational modelling? Are you interested in cutting edge research in biomaterials applied to oral health? Do you have a desire to work at the interface of academia and industry?

This is an outstanding opportunity for you to undertake an exciting PhD project at the University of Leeds as part of a doctoral training programme (DTP) in partnership with world-leading consumer health company Haleon. An enhanced annual tax-free stipend of at least £23,780 is included for 4 years, alongside UK/home tuition fees and a travel and consumables budget. The project will involve an industrial placement at Haleon which will provide a unique opportunity as a PhD student to gain insight into a career in industry and to build a valuable network of contacts for your future career.

This project investigates how multiple ionic species such a Ca2+, Sr2+, Sn2+, Mg2+, F- interact with and incorporate into calcium-phosphate, apatite-based biominerals, using advanced multi-modal X-ray techniques and computational modelling. By combining synchrotron-based diffraction, three-dimensional imaging, and first-principles simulations, the research will examine how ionic substitution influences crystallographic organisation, nanoscale structure, and mechanical behaviour of biomineral systems. The work will focus on understanding how mineral structure and orientation are modified during mineral restoration processes at biologically relevant interfaces. Through integration of experimental and computational approaches, the project aims to deliver mechanistic insight into ion-mediated control of biomineral structure and function. The research brings together complementary expertise across partner institutions to advance fundamental understanding of hard tissue mineralisation.

This project is part of the Advancing Translation of Oral Health Research BBSRC-funded Industrial Doctoral Landscape Award in collaboration with Haleon.