LSI PhD Programme in Complex Living Systems
Modern scientific innovation involves the integration of diverse disciplines and the bridging of pure and application-oriented research. At the LSI we are training a new generation of scientists who are equipped to think and experiment beyond traditional boundaries using cutting-edge technologies and approaches.
You can apply to our PhD Programme via three routes: (i) direct application for an LSI-funded PhD studentship (covers fees, stipend, and training budget); (ii) application for a studentship funded by another source (e.g., UKRI, China Scholarship Council, national agencies) with an LSI supervisor; (iii) self-funding with an LSI supervisor.
All students are enrolled in the integrated LSI programme regardless of primary discipline or funding source. You will benefit from the broad range of opportunities and activities offered by the programme, including:
- Leading-edge research technologies and approaches, from quantum biology to brain function
- State-of-the-art laboratories and facilities in the recently built LSI
- Opportunity to formulate and modify your own project
- Cohort learning in interdisciplinary training modules and workshops
- Supervisors from different disciplines
- Advisory thesis committee to support you throughout the PhD
- Diverse and inclusive community of over 60 PhD students
- Peer-to-peer PhD student presentation and discussion sessions
- Future career preparation
Exeter is one of the fastest growing cities in the UK. It is situated in the South West of England which offers unmatched sports and leisure opportunities through several national parks and some of the best beaches in Europe.
We aim to recruit the best and most imaginative students from across the range of disciplines represented in LSI – Physics, Mathematics, Computational Science, Engineering, Biology and Medicine.
You will be motivated by scientific curiosity and be able and willing to “think outside of the box”. You should have a first or upper-second-class degree (or equivalent). Masters training can be an advantage but is not essential. However, you should have sufficient experience to demonstrate your capability for research work and aptitude for critical thinking.
Hear from our students
Courtney Tremlett, 3rd Year PhD Student
The LSI embodies everything I sought from not only a PhD, but a welcoming and ambitious work environment. I have been amazed by the sheer amount of talent the LSI hosts and the openness to collaborate. My project has already been fantastically enhanced by working within various groups. Additionally, the comradery and mutual respect within the community makes me feel like less of a student and more as a colleague. As an institute that is consistently pushing scientific boundaries, fostering creativity and collaboration, it is a fantastic place to expand your scientific horizons.
Anuj Tiwari, Third Year PhD Student
Apart from world class research facilities, the breadth of expertise available in the LSI in terms of research and diversity is unlike anything I have experienced. It is not uncommon to find people chatting about science over a doughnut break or during lunch. PhDs can be a lonely affair but being around like-minded people and meeting them regularly during LSI social events helps me cope with any work-related stress. The midweek football with colleagues is a nice change of pace from what can otherwise become a monotonous routine. As an international student, moving to a new country can be challenging but the social environment of the LSI felt like home straightway.
Kalani Perera
My experience at the University of Exeter, Living Systems Institute has been nothing short of amazing; everyone is very heart-warming and welcoming here. Supervisors provide excellent guidance in research in order to build our skills. I particularly enjoy being a researcher at LSI because I constantly learn from professors and my colleagues. Also, we have an incredible opportunity in our building because the biology, physics, mathematics and physiochemical people are housed in the interconnected building where collaboration is producing amazing synergies.
Callum Jones. Former PhD Student
The LSI really is an interdisciplinary department. As a physicist, it has been a great opportunity to learn a little about Biology, just by being surrounded by others’ research. The weekly LSI seminars cover a really broad range of subjects, making it easy to get introduced to new ideas. There are also some great social events; this year we’ve been kayaking, organised a student conference, and been on an away-day to Torquay. I’d definitely recommend it as a place to do your PhD.
Projects for LSI-funded PhD studentships (starting Sept 2025)
Applications closed!
To find out more about the individual projects below, click on the first supervisor to go to their webpage
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Unlocking the molecular mechanisms governing stem cell dormancy; Supervisors: Bertram Daum (Bio) and Austin Smith (Bio), Paul Verkade, and Thom Sharp
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Enhancing Antibiotic Efficacy: Bacteriophage Engineering via CryoEM and Microfluidics; Supervisors: Vicki Gold (Bio) and Stefano Pagliara (Bio), Edze Westra (Bio), and Stineke van Houte
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How to make an eye - Biophysics of the basement membrane during early eye development; Supervisors: Stefan Harmansa (Bio), Steffen Scholpp (Bio)
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Designer proteins to rewire living systems; Supervisors: Nicholas Harmer (Bio), JJ Phillips (Bio), Benjamin Housden (CBS), and Austin Smith (Bio)
- Control of chromatin remodeller activity to direct cell fate decisions; Supervisors: Brian Hendrich (Bio), (JJ Phillips (Bio)
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Cryptochrome: Life's quantum sensor; Supervisors: Daniel Kattnig (Physics), Jonathan Phillips (Bio), and Frank Vollmer (Physics)
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Turbulent Partners: Unraveling Host-Virus Co-evolution in Dynamic Environments; Supervisors: Wolfram Moebius (Physics), Adam Monier (Bio), and Daniel Kattnig (Physics)
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Imaging the life of an endogenous RNA transcript from birth to death in an in vivo setting; Supervisors: Nikolas Nikolaou (CBS) and David Richards (Physics), Steve West (Bio), and Steffen Scholpp (Bio)
- Understanding the structural dynamics of genome editing enzymes; Supervisors: JJ Phillips (Bio) and Marc Goodfellow (Maths)
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Developing graph mathematics methods to study cell type evolution by single cell transcriptomics; Supervisors: Jordi Solana (Bio), Piotr Słowiński (Maths), and Magda Strauss (Maths)
- Modelling the early human embryo; Supervisors: Krasi Tsaneva-Atanasova (Maths) David Richards (Physics)
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Modelling pattern formation in growing tissue with long-range cellular communication; Supervisors: Kyle Wedgwood (Maths) and Steffen Scholpp (Bio)
- Microlaser Barcoding for In Vivo Sensing and 3D RNA Expression Profiling in Zebrafish; Supervisors: Frank Vollmer (Maths), Steffen Scholpp (Bio), and Victor Vassiliev (Physics)
Self-funded applications
For self-funded applicants, please contact your preferred supervisor and additionally the LSI Director of Postgraduate Research, Professor Steve West (s.west@exeter.ac.uk.)In your message, please state your motivation for carrying out PhD research, why you are applying to our interdisciplinary programme, why you have chosen your selected supervisor/project, and your source of funding for fees, living costs and research training. Self-funded applicants will be subject to an equivalent selection process as applicants for funded positions.
If you have any inquiries, please contact the Director of Postgraduate Research (LSI), Steven West: s.west@exeter.ac.uk
