This 4-year PhD studentship is open to both Home (UK) and international applicants. The successful candidate will receive an annual stipend at the UKRI minimum rate (currently £21,805 per year) plus £1,000/annum enhancement, and a research training support grant of up to £20,000 for the full 4-year programme. This project is in competition for funding with other projects. Usually, the projects that receives the best applicants will be successful.
The global burden of cancer continues to increase, with more than 500,000 new cases predicted annually in the UK by 2040. Radiotherapy remains a cornerstone of cancer treatment, but irradiation of healthy tissue surrounding or traversed by the tumour remains a significant limitation. Very High Energy Electron (VHEE) radiotherapy offers substantial penetration and may complement existing photon and particle therapies. Combining VHEE with ultra-high dose-rate (UHDR) delivery, including FLASH dose rates, could further exploit physical and biological advantages.
This project will investigate treatment planning and focused VHEE delivery in the FLASH regime. Methods will include Monte Carlo modelling of beam transport and dose deposition, treatment-plan optimisation, analysis of dose distributions, and evaluation of parameters influencing healthy-tissue sparing and target coverage. Computational results will, where appropriate, be compared with experimental dosimetry and existing radiotherapy data. Outcomes will include improved understanding of VHEE dose deposition and assessment of focused FLASH-VHEE delivery for future clinical translation.
The student will receive interdisciplinary supervision from the Faculty of Science and Engineering and School of Medical Sciences, with training in Monte Carlo methods, radiation transport, treatment planning, optimisation, dosimetry, data analysis and scientific computing, supported by cross-faculty expertise and wider postgraduate research training.
This project is expected to start in September 2027.
Before you apply: Please contact the main project supervisor, Prof Roger Jones, to learn more about the project and discuss whether it may be suitable for you.
To be considered for this project you must submit a formal application through our online application portal by following the instructions provided here. Please note that you must select programme FSE PhD President’s Doctoral Scholarship: If you already have an applicant account, use this link to open an application for FSE PhD President's Doctoral Scholarship. If you do not yet have an applicant account, follow the account setup instructions and then use this link to open an application for the correct programme.
When applying, please specify the full title and supervisor/s of the project, details of your previous study, and names and contact details of two referees. You must also upload a Supporting Statement describing your motivation to apply to the project, your CV and transcripts of awarded and in-progress university qualifications. Please note late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applicants are expected to hold (or be about to obtain) a minimum upper second-class undergraduate honours degree (or equivalent) in Physics or related subjects. Research experience in simulation or medical physics is desirable.
