| Qualifications |
Duration |
Start dates |
Application period |
PhD
(MPhil also available) |
Full-time: 3–4 years
Part-time: 6–8 years |
February and October |
January to April |
Qualifications
PhD (MPhil also available) |
Duration
Full-time: 3–4 years
Part-time: 6–8 years |
Start dates
February and October |
Application period
January to April |
At The Open University we investigate cardiovascular diseases from the level of single cell all the way to the patient. Utilising state-of-the-art equipment, it is our aim to gain mechanistic insights and develop technology which has the potential to be of direct benefit to patients suffering from such diseases; ultimately assisting with the detection and treatment.
Key themes of our research are:
- Target identification and validation: By focusing on underlying cellular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease utilising imaging, electrophysiology and molecular biology, we aim to identify and validate novel treatment targets.
- Identifying and understanding risk factors for cardiovascular disease: By focussing on specific risk factors for disease (e.g. obesity) we aim to understand how these alterations can influence disease progression.
- Improved monitoring of disease: By focusing on clinical tools that will better monitor cardiovascular disease which can then be used to mitigate risk.
Entry requirements
Minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent). If you are not a UK citizen, you may need to prove your knowledge of English.
Potential research projects
- Electrophysiological Characterisation of Pulmonary Vein Cells in Murine Lung Slices
- Risk Factors Influencing Ion Channels and Calcium dynamics in Atrial Fibrillation
- Improved monitoring of disease using heart rate variability
- Use of artificial intelligence in cardiovascular disease monitoring and evaluation
Current/recent research projects
- Effect of CLN3 disease on organellar characteristics
- Optimising a novel co-culture system to study cardiomyocyte-epicardial adipocyte interactions
- The Ultrastructural and abnormal calcium handling in pulmonary vein sleeve cells, atrial and ventricular myocytes during ageing
Potential supervisors
Fees and funding
| UK fee |
International fee |
| Full-time: £4,786 per year |
Full-time: £15,698 per year |
| Part-time: £2,393 per year |
Part-time: £7,849 per year |
For detailed information about fees and funding, visit Fees and studentships.
To see current funded studentship vacancies across all research areas, see Current studentships.
Links