Neuroscience and Neurophysiology PhD/MSc by Research

Understanding brain function and brain diseases are major intellectual and practical challenges facing mankind. Neuroscience in the School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine has research strengths in: neurodegenerative diseases; neurodegeneration and repair; neuronal function and dysfunction; and psychiatry. It spans basic and clinical research, at levels of analysis from the molecular to the whole organism.

Course fact file

Type of Course: Doctoral research

Study Options: Full time, part time

Duration: PhD – 3 years full-time, 6 years part-time; MSc by Research – 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

Start date: Research degrees may start at any time of the year, though for most this will be September 2012

Contact

ReadFAQs for this programme

Head of College of Medical and Dental Sciences Graduate School: Professor John Gordon

If you complete our contact form we will respond to your enquiry within two business days.

Alternatively, you can contact us on +44 (0)121 414 5005 or by email: mds-phd@contacts.bham.ac.uk

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Course details

Details

Understanding brain function and brain diseases are major intellectual and practical challenges facing mankind. Neuroscience in the School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine has research strengths in:

Neurodegenerative diseases
Neurodegeneration and repair
Neuronal function and dysfunction
Psychiatry

It spans basic and clinical research, at levels of analysis from the molecular to the whole organism. It has strong collaborative links with the Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit and with the wider neuroscience community in the Colleges of Life and Environmental Sciences and Engineering.

Research is performed in specialised laboratories for:

Molecular neurology
Molecular neuroscience
Cellular neuroscience
Cellular and systems electrophysiology
Imaging and neuropharmacology

Clinical studies are centred on the Clinical Neuroscience Unit in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the Academic Psychiatry Unit in the Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital (QEPH), and through field teams based at the QEPH.

Fees and funding

Standardfees apply, although in some projects a bench fee is also payable
Learn more about feesand funding

Scholarships and studentships
Scholarships may be available. International students can often gain funding through overseas research scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships or their home government.

For further information contact the School directly or email sfo@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Entry requirements

Learn more about entry requirements

International students
We accept a range of qualifications from different countries – learn more about international entry requirements

Standard English language requirements apply

How to apply

When clicking on the Apply Now button you will be directed to an application specifically designed for the programme you wish to apply for where you will create an account with the University application system and submit your application and supporting documents online. Further information regarding how to apply online can be found on the How to apply pages

Contact

ReadFAQs for this programme

Head of College of Medical and Dental Sciences Graduate School: Professor John Gordon

If you complete our contact form we will respond to your enquiry within two business days.

Alternatively, you can contact us on +44 (0)121 414 5005 or by email: mds-phd@contacts.bham.ac.uk

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Overview

Research interests

Research interests of staff

Investigation of the molecular mechanisms underlying chronic neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's and motor neurone disease; candidate gene screening approaches to various neurological disorders.
Contact: Professor Karen Morrison
Clinical trials of therapies in Parkinson’s and motor neurone disease.
Contact: Professor Karen Morrison
Professor Carl Clarke
Cellular and genetic mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease; developmental causes of epilepsy.
Contact: Dr Zsuzsanna Nagy
Acute trauma, and neurodegeneration; understanding mechanisms of natural ageing; evaluation of novel gene- and cell-based therapeutic strategies for central nervous system (CNS) repair.
Contact: Professor Ann Logan
Dr Ana-Maria Gonzalez
Basic mechanisms of temporal lobe epilepsy; fast physiological oscillations associated with cognition; physiology and pathophysiology of prion protein; effects of electric fields on brain function; pathophysiology of X-linked mental retardation.
Contact: Professor John Jefferys
Dr Andrew Powell
Structure and operation of cortical networks investigated by cellular electrophysiology, immunohistochemistry, and light and electron microscopy; physiological oscillations associated with cognition; basic mechanisms of epilepsy; quantification of synaptic networks.
Contact: Professor Attila Sik
Role of intracellular calcium pools in integration of neuronal functions; mitochondrial function in normal ageing and aged neurons.
Contact: Dr Emil Toescu
Basic mechanisms of temporal lobe epilepsy; fast physiological oscillations associated with cognition; neurophysiology of normal ageing.
Contact: Dr Martin Vreugdenhil
Understanding the fundamental biology of the failure of CNS axon regeneration
Contact: Dr Zubair Ahmed
Role of steroid hormones in intracranial pressure regulation
Contact: Dr Alexandra Sinclair
Understanding the mechanisms of acute brain injury, and biomarker reserach for patient stratification and personalised treatment
Contact: Dr Tony Belli

Contact

ReadFAQs for this programme

Head of College of Medical and Dental Sciences Graduate School: Professor John Gordon

If you complete our contact form we will respond to your enquiry within two business days.

Alternatively, you can contact us on +44 (0)121 414 5005 or by email: mds-phd@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Follow us on Twitter

Course details

Employability

Following graduation, Postgraduate Researchers in the College MDS gain employment in a variety of areas though with a majority continuing in research, mostly in Academia but also in the Health, Pharmaceutical, and Biotechnology sectors. Others pursue careers in Education, Publishing, Intellectual Property Protection, Technology Innovation, Business, and more besides.