University of Leeds — Faculty of Biological Sciences
Prof Darren Tomlinson
Dr C Tiede
Friday, October 30, 2026
Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
About the Project
One full scholarship is available in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology in 2026/27. This scholarship is open to UK applicants and will cover fees, maintenance and bench costs.
This fully funded PhD place provides an exciting opportunity to pursue postgraduate research in phage display and protein engineering. The aim is to develop methods to identify druggable pockets on target proteins in collaboration with a large pharmaceutical company. You'll develop techniques and processes working on important therapeutic targets to improve the drug discovery pipeline and aid development of new therapeutics.
The School of Molecular and Cellular Biology invites applications from prospective postgraduate researchers who wish to commence study for a PhD in the academic year 2026/27 for the industry Scholarship.
The award is open to full-time or part-time candidates (UK only) who meet the eligibility for a place on a PhD degree at the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology. We especially welcome applications that connect to the School's core research areas, which are biochemistry and biological sciences.
Eligibility
This scholarship is only available to applicants who are eligible to pay fees at the Home (UK) rate.
Applicants to this scholarship in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology 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 postgraduate research study in the School of Molecular and Cellular Biology 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.
How to Apply
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 Sciences 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 an Eli Lilly Scholarship
For further information about the admissions process contact the Faculty PGR admissions team: fbsgrad@leeds.ac.uk
Funding Notes
We are offering 1 full-time/part-time PhD scholarship in Molecular and Cellular Biology for one UK candidate, matching UKRI maintenance stipend (£21,805 for 2026/27) and UK tuition fees for four years. The award will be made for one year in the first instance and renewable for a further period of up to three years, subject to satisfactory progress.
Other conditions:
- Applicants must not have already been awarded or currently studying for a doctoral degree.
- Awards must be taken up by 1st February 2027.
- Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship.