Fully Funded PhD Studentship: Edmond & Lily Safra PhD Studentship in Parkinson's Disease

About the Position

A fully funded PhD studentship in Parkinson's Disease at the UK DRI at Imperial. Hosted by Imperial College London in London. Apply by 30 October 2026 (time not specified).

Project Description

The funded project, Predicting Insulin Resistance from Blood Transcriptomes: A Peripheral Window onto Brain Insulin Resistance in Parkinson’s Disease, uses peripheral blood transcriptomic data to model insulin resistance and test the signature against Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease cohorts.

The studentship pays a tax-free stipend of £23,805 per year - the UKRI 2026/27 doctoral minimum plus the £2,000 London weighting - with Home tuition fees covered for three years and up to six months of additional writing-up stipend where required. It is hosted by the UK Dementia Research Institute at Imperial College London and supported by the Edmond J. Safra Foundation, whose gift established the UK DRI’s Parkinson’s disease programme.

Opportunity	Fully Funded PhD Studentship: Edmond & Lily Safra PhD Studentship in Parkinson's Disease
Host	Imperial College London
Location	London, United Kingdom
Study Level	PhD
Funding	Fully Funded
Stipend	£23,805 per year (tax-free)
Application Deadline	30 October 2026 (time not specified)
Apply	Official application page ↗

Basic Information

• Full Title: Edmond & Lily Safra PhD Studentship in Parkinson's Disease
• Host Institution: Imperial College London
• Department: Brain Sciences / UK DRI at Imperial
• Supervisors: Dr Cynthia Sandor, Dr Katarzyna Zoltowska
• Study Level: PhD
• Duration: 3 years (+ up to 6 months writing-up)
• Start Date: 2026/27
• Funding Type: Fully Funded
• Stipend: £23,805 per year (tax-free)
• Tuition Fees: Home fees covered
• Eligibility: Home fee status
• Application Deadline: 15 October 2026

Contact

• Email: c.sandor@imperial.ac.uk
• Email: zoltowska@imperial.ac.uk

Questions about this position, eligibility or the application process should be sent to the contacts above or raised through the channel given on the official announcement page.

Official Link

Full announcement and application portal: https://www.ukdri.ac.uk/vacancies/phd-program-edmond-and-lily-safra-phd-studentship-parkinsons-disease

Source: ukdri.ac.uk - the details in this listing were recorded from this official page.

Important Notes

• Application deadline: 30 October 2026 (time not specified) - late or incomplete applications are normally not considered.
• Listing details were recorded from the official source at the time of publication; always confirm the latest requirements on the official page before applying.
• Prepare the documents listed in the eligibility and application sections before starting the online form - transcripts, CV and references take the longest to collect.

About Imperial College London

Imperial College London is a public research university focused on science, engineering, medicine and business. Based in London, it offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes in these fields. Its academic community combines scientific research with practical applications, working with healthcare, industry and international partners on technological and societal challenges worldwide.

Official website: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/

How to Apply

Email CV, brief statement of research interests & motivation, and contact details for two academic referees to Dr Cynthia Sandor (c.sandor@imperial.ac.uk) or Dr Katarzyna Zoltowska (zoltowska@imperial.ac.uk).

Application guides

• How to Email a PhD Supervisor: 7 Templates and Practical Tips
• How to Read a PhD Job Advert: Funding, Eligibility and Application Steps
• UK Student Visa Application: CAS, Documents and Financial Evidence