PhD in Biological Science (MRC Toxicology Unit)

The MRC Toxicology Unit's mission is to deliver mechanistic toxicology research, with a particular focus on the study of the links between exposure to chemicals, radiation and therapeutic agents, including new classes of biologics, molecular initiating events and adverse outcome pathways. The Unit uses a range of systems-based approaches to address key questions in this area. The Unit continues to develop the translation of its basic research into clinical and public health-relevant outcomes; a short video about the Unit's research activities can be found here.

The Unit aims to train and mentor the next generation of toxicologists by providing a supportive learning environment designed to meet the scientific and transferable skills required for an internationally competitive career. Our PhD Programme aims to train future scientific leaders, giving them rewarding research projects with access to world-class facilities and expertise; a short video about the programme can be found here.

Our PhD Programme introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge within the field of toxicology. Its main aims are:

1. To give students the opportunity to carry out research pertinent to the topic of their PhD under supervision.
2. To give students the opportunity to acquire or develop additional skills and expertise relevant to their research interests.

In addition to outstanding research training, students will also receive excellent core skills training and additional toxicology-specific training through the Integrated Toxicology Training Partnership (ITTP). The Unit has a weekly seminar series covering a range of topics pertinent to the basic science underpinning modern toxicology research and an active Postdoctoral and Postgraduate Forum that hosts research talks by students and early career researchers. The Unit has developed strong links with several companies such as AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, and Unilever, which provides the potential opportunity for research placements.

Please note: part-time study may not always be viable and will be considered on a case-by-case basis, so please discuss this option with your proposed Supervisor before applying for this mode of study.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

By the end of the postgraduate training, students will have gained postgraduate training in toxicology, specifically:

• a comprehensive understanding of research techniques pertinent to cutting-edge toxicology
• a thorough knowledge of toxicology literature relevant to their project
• a broad overview of the multiple applications of toxicology
• experience of producing original research
• a practical understanding of how research and enquiry are used to create and interpret knowledge in their field

Skills and other attributes

By the end of the programme, students will have:

• shown abilities in the critical evaluation of current research and research techniques and methodologies
• analyse critically research literature and contemporary topics in the areas of their specialisation and present such analyses in written and oral formats
• demonstrated some self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems and acted autonomously in the planning and implementation of research
• demonstrate proficiency in experimental and data analysis techniques
• demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving approaches to experimental data
• participate in scientific discourse by delivering and responding to constructive criticism of, e.g., project abstracts, experimental design, research data and its interpretation

Open Days

The University hosts and attends fairs and events throughout the year, in the UK and across the world. We also offer online events to help you explore your options:

• Discover Cambridge: Master’s and PhD study webinars - these Spring events provide practical information about applying for postgraduate study.

• Postgraduate Virtual Open Days - taking place in November each year, the Open Days focus on subject and course information.

For more information about upcoming events visit our events pages.

Applicants for this course should have achieved a UK Good II.i Honours Degree. If your degree is not from the UK, please check International Qualifications to find the equivalent in your country. University Minimum Academic Requirements Language Requirement

Listening: 7.0, Writing: 7.0, Reading: 6.5, Speaking: 7.0, Total: 7.0, Listening: 25, Writing: 25, Reading: 25, Speaking: 25, Total: 100