(PhD by Enterprise) Autologous tumour-derived nanocarriers for precision drug delivery in Glioblastoma

About the Project

Glioblastoma is one of the most lethal cancers. Despite maximal therapeutic intervention, most patients survive less than 18 months. The fundamental reason treatment fails is the blood-brain barrier, a highly selective biological filter that prevents almost all drugs from reaching the brain tumour. This PhD trains a researcher to tackle this problem using a novel class of drug delivery vehicle built not from synthetic materials, but from the patient’s own cancer.

You will produce exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) from cells taken from patient brain tumour organoids, which are miniature tumours grown in the laboratory from real patient tissue. An established patented method is used to convert these cells into nanoparticles carrying the precise molecular signature of the patient’s own cancer. Because these particles are made from the tumour itself, they are designed to home back to it with a specificity that no synthetic carrier can replicate. You will load these nanoparticles with anti-cancer drugs, including the current standard of care and agents under active clinical investigation, and test their performance in the most clinically realistic models available: patient-derived organoids and animal models of glioblastoma.

You will be joining a well-resourced, active research environment. The supervisory laboratory already holds funded programmes in biological nanocarrier development and has generated preliminary data on this technology, which has attracted competitive funding. You will build directly on this foundation, inheriting validated protocols and working within an established collaboration between two world-leading groups.

As part of the PhD by Enterprise programme, you will develop a full business plan and commercialisation strategy alongside your experimental research, working directly with the University’s Innovation Factory and engaging with prospective industry partners. You will be mentored on IP strategy by a supervisor who is himself navigating a live commercialisation process and will receive an industry perspective on clinical translation from a co-supervisor with prior experience as an Oncology R&D Director at a global pharmaceutical company.

By the time you graduate, you will be a researcher with deep technical expertise in one of the most challenging areas of nanomedicine and the commercial acumen to take a laboratory discovery toward clinical and market impact.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second class UK honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in Pharmacy, Biomedical Sciences, Biochemistry, Cancer Biology, Chemical Biology or Pharmacology, with essential proven experience in cell culture and/or nanoparticle/exosome characterisation (NTA, DLS, TEM, WB). Preferred experience includes drug delivery, in vivo animal work, and organoid models. Candidates should demonstrate strong enthusiasm for translational/commercial research, intellectual curiosity, and interdisciplinary teamwork in an enterprise-focused PhD environment.

Application Guidance

Candidates must contact the primary supervisor before applying to discuss their interest in the project and assess their suitability.

Apply directly via this link: https://shorturl.at/BRKKT or on the online application portal, select PhD by Enterprise Programme as the programme of study.

Please ensure that your application includes all required supporting documents:

• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Supporting Statement
• Academic Certificates and Transcripts

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. Further details are available on our website: PhD by Enterprise | Biology, Medicine and Health | The University of Manchester

Funding Notes

This PhD by Enterprise studentship provides full funding for tuition fees and a stipend at the UKRI rate for four years starting in September 2026. This funded scheme will also allow for Visa and Immigration Costs to be reimbursed for successful international PGRs.