Course summary

The information provided on this page was correct at the time of publication (October/November 2022). For complete and up-to-date information about this course, please visit the relevant University of Oxford course page via www.graduate.ox.ac.uk/ucas. The programme exposes you to a range of multidisciplinary approaches and embraces all aspects of ion channel and membrane transport research from protein structure, x-ray crystallography and single particle CryoEM, genetics and cell physiology, to animal behaviour and human disease. The first year involves exposure to different techniques during two extended rotation projects in different labs. This is followed by a three-year multidisciplinary research project involving two different OXION groups. This course is taking part in a continuing pilot programme to improve the assessment procedure for graduate applications, in order to ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly. For this course, the socio-economic data you provide in the application form will be used to contextualise the shortlisting and decision-making processes where it has been provided. Please carefully read the instructions concerning submission of your CV/résumé in the How to apply section of this page, as well as the full details about this pilot. In the first year, in addition to the two 5-month laboratory rotations, you will also prepare for a multidisciplinary PhD by undertaking the PILB and PILC animal courses (formerly known as modules one to four) of the Home Office Personal Licence. Other University-based training and lecture courses may also be considered relevant depending upon your background. A unique aspect of the programme is the wide range of experimental techniques available within the OXION laboratories. These include approaches to whole animal in vivo physiology and animal behaviour, as well as cutting-edge biochemical, biophysical, electrophysiological, structural and computational methods for studying ion channels and membrane proteins. From the second to fourth years, you will focus on your doctoral research project. This must be a multidisciplinary project that involves more than one research group. Such joint projects not only help you develop independence and a wider range of skills, but also facilitate important collaborations between groups. The final choice of both project and host research groups will be made by you in conjunction with the Organising Committee. Where appropriate, you will also have the opportunity to take additional graduate modules to equip yourself with new skills that might be required for your project, or to update your knowledge of major new developments in your own (or related) research field. Training will also be provided in other relevant transferable skills such as writing research papers, planning/writing a thesis and presentation skills. Supervision The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Medical Sciences Doctoral Training Centre. The primary supervisor will be drawn from a list of those working directly on ion channels or transporters but the choice of co-supervisor may depend on the nature of the project and techniques required. Students typically meet with their supervisors weekly. Applicants are advised to visit the course page on the centre's website for further information about supervisors associated with this course (see Further Information and Enquires).