Making the discoveries that defeat cancer

PhD programmes and cohorts

Our MRC Doctoral Training Programme (DTP)

The ICR's MRC-funded Doctoral Training Partnership aims to prepare students to build and execute collaborative multidisciplinary research projects and provide them with the skills and capabilities to translate their innovations for the benefit of patients.

The ICR provides a unique and enriching training environment for students through three distinct but complementary research themes that build on established expertise: Genome Stability and DNA Damage Response, Advanced Therapeutics and Radiation Oncology and Biology.

To become information science-literate experimental scientists equipped to work in a team science environment, students will gain a thorough grounding in data analysis and computation skills, as well as core research skills by attending taught sessions one day a week in the first two terms. This training will be designed to ensure that all students, no matter their background, master the fundamentals of database interrogation, statistics, data handling and analysis, so they can apply them in their PhD projects and have sufficient appreciation of the wider biomedical research landscape to formulate questions beyond their discipline and to support their future career progression.

MRC Industrial CASE (iCASE) projects

Under this DTP, we are able to offer some projects as iCASE collaborations with one of our five industry partners. The iCASE scheme provides students with experience of collaborative research with a non‐academic partner, thereby offering an experience of at least two distinct research cultures and access to a wide range of technology, facilities, and expertise. Students will have the opportunity to spend a period of time with the industry partner (usually no less than three months over the lifetime of the PhD).

Queries about this programme this be directed to [email protected].

Funding for our PhD projects comes from a variety of different sources. Some of our funding comes from programmes which have unique targets and student experiences.

CRUK Convergence Science Centre at the ICR and Imperial

Deadline for applications: 23rd January 2025

The Cancer Research UK Convergence Science Centre was established as a strategic partnership between The Institute of Cancer Research and Imperial College London. The mission of the Centre is to bring together engineering, physical sciences, life sciences, and medicine to develop innovative ways to address challenges in cancer research to benefit cancer patients. This is achieved through multidisciplinary collaborations that integrate otherwise distinct approaches to co-create new tools, technologies and methodologies.

The Convergence Science Centre aims to train the next generation of convergence scientists by building cross-institutional research teams with supervisors from distinct disciplines who will equip PhD students with the skills to work across disciplinary boundaries. Students will be exposed to the world leading research, expertise and infrastructure across both institutions.

We are currently inviting applications to our Convergence Science Non-Clinical PhD Black Leaders in Cancer programme., which is four-years in length under the guidance of a supervisory team of world-class researchers across the two institutions. Successful candidates will receive a fixed, tax-free annual stipend of £23,000 per annum, and project costs including tuition fees will be underwritten for the four-year duration. Students enrolled on the programme will be provided with bespoke training to develop the skills required to work across the boundaries of different disciplines.

We invite applications from talented UK graduates or final year undergraduates from a life science, chemistry, computer science, engineering, or physics background. Convergence Science PhDs cover tuition fees for UK students only (except where otherwise stated in the project specification); however, international students are also invited to apply subject to outlining how they will meet the difference in tuition fees. We look forward to receiving applications from all candidates and will select those who display the potential to become world leading researchers of the future based on their application and performance at an interview. We are encouraging applications from candidates of Black and ethnic minority backgrounds as they are underrepresented at PhD level within our programme.

Queries about this programme should be directed to [email protected].

View available projects

In this section

PhD Projects 2025 How to apply for your PhD Course essentials PhD programmes and cohorts Location and resources Entry requirements Fees and costs Contact us

ICR values

Our values – developed together as an organisation – make it clear how each and every one of us work to meet our mission – to make the discoveries that defeat cancer.