University College London, University of London

What you'll study

Your project will be developed with supervisors and carried out as part of a research team, using laboratory, bioinformatic or clinical approaches. Regular discussion of data and analyses with supervisors is expected, with an emphasis on sharing results through presentations and publication.

• Research disciplines: molecular and cellular biology, cancer genetics, immunology, genetic engineering, cancer therapeutics, bioinformatics.
• Departmental placement: Cancer Biology and Pathology; Haematology; Oncology; Clinical Trials.
• Supervision structure: principal supervisor plus a thesis committee comprising a secondary supervisor and one to three committee members.
• Training: a compulsory first‑year Cancer Institute training programme, with additional optional research methods modules via the UCL Doctoral Skills Training Programme.
• Expected outputs and skills: experimental planning and execution, data interpretation, scientific writing, presentation, project and time management, teamwork and independent research.

Entry requirements

Applicants need at minimum an upper second‑class UK Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline or an overseas qualification of equivalent standard. English language requirements apply. International applicants should consult UCL guidance for country‑specific equivalencies and contact Graduate Admissions for advice where needed.

Career prospects

According to the HESA Graduate Outcomes survey (2018–2022) around 95% of Cancer Institute PhD graduates were in highly skilled work (93%) or further study (2%). Graduates move into roles across NHS Trusts; public and statutory bodies; cancer and scientific research organisations; clinical research organisations; medical consultancy; pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies; and universities. Typical positions include specialist medical practitioners, researchers, and biomedical scientists, with other destinations in management, consulting, scientific writing and higher education teaching.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The programme page does not list specific scholarships. Prospective applicants should review UCL and Cancer Institute funding pages and contact Graduate Admissions to explore studentships, departmental funding and external scholarships relevant to doctoral research in cancer.