Research Degrees
DPhil in Paediatrics and MSc (by Research) in Paediatrics
The Department of Paediatrics offers a range of DPhil and MSc by Research opportunities across our research themes, giving students the opportunity to work alongside leading researchers on questions with the potential to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people.
Our research degrees reflect the Department’s wider mission, vision and values. We aim to provide an ambitious, collaborative and inclusive research environment in which students are encouraged to be intellectually curious, think critically, work across disciplines and develop as independent researchers. Our students are an important part of our academic community and contribute to the culture of excellence, integrity, collaboration and respect that we seek to foster across the Department.
You can explore outlines of prospective DPhil and MSc by Research projects currently available within the Department. We strongly encourage you to contact the relevant supervisor to discuss the project and potential research environment before submitting an application.
Prospective students may also apply to one of our research programmes with their own research proposal. If you are considering this route, please contact a potential supervisor whose research interests align with your proposed area of study to discuss your ideas before applying.
To hear directly from our students about the research, academic community and wider experience of studying with us, read our student testimonials.
About our courses
The Department of Paediatrics brings together world-leading research and education to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people. Our research spans a broad spectrum of paediatric medicine and science, with major strengths in developmental immunology, infectious diseases, HIV infection and immune control, vaccine development and testing, neuromuscular conditions, neurodevelopmental disorders and genetics.
Our mission, vision and values shape not only the research we undertake, but also how we educate and support the next generation of researchers and healthcare leaders. We are committed to creating an ambitious, inclusive and collaborative academic environment in which people can develop their expertise, challenge established thinking and work across disciplines to address important questions in child health.
We bring these principles to life through the design and delivery of our courses. Our teaching is informed by current research and delivered by researchers and clinicians working at the forefront of their fields. We encourage intellectual curiosity, rigorous and critical thinking, collaboration and the open exchange of ideas. We also aim to create a supportive learning environment in which students from different backgrounds and disciplines can contribute, develop and thrive.
Studying with us therefore means becoming part of a wider academic community: one that values excellence, integrity, collaboration and respect, and is united by a commitment to translating knowledge and discovery into better outcomes for children and families.
To explore the breadth of our work and the research environment in which our students learn, visit Our Research.
For enquiries about graduate study, please contact the Graduate Studies Officer at graduate@paediatrics.ox.ac.uk.
Correlates of Immunity – Artificial Intelligence (CoI-AI) DPhil Studentships
The Oxford Vaccine Group is offering fully funded three-year DPhil studentships through the Correlates of Immunity – Artificial Intelligence (CoI-AI) Programme, providing an exciting opportunity for outstanding clinicians, health professionals and non-clinical scientists to undertake research at the intersection of immunology, infectious diseases, vaccine development and artificial intelligence.
CoI-AI is a multidisciplinary research programme focused on understanding the immune responses that protect against infection and using these insights to help accelerate the development of next-generation vaccines. It brings together expertise in clinical research, laboratory science and artificial intelligence, giving DPhil students the opportunity to work across disciplines and contribute to research with the potential for significant impact on human health.
Projects will be embedded within the wider CoI-AI programme and may encompass controlled human infection studies, clinical cohorts, immunology, microbiology, antigen discovery, and AI-enabled analysis of complex clinical and immunological datasets.
Opportunities are available across several high-priority bacterial pathogens, with projects shaped to reflect individual candidates’ backgrounds, expertise and research interests.
These studentships offer the opportunity to become part of the Oxford Vaccine Group’s collaborative research community, working alongside leading scientists and clinicians while developing the skills and experience needed to become an independent researcher.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to explore the available CoI-AI projects and contact the relevant supervisor to discuss their research interests and potential project before applying.
Therapeutic Genomics DPhil Studentships
The MRC Centre of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Genomics (MRC CoRE-TG) offers fully funded three- to four-year DPhil studentships for outstanding candidates interested in harnessing computational biology and translational science to develop new treatments for rare genetic disorders.
Therapeutic Genomics brings together expertise from across the therapeutic development pathway to accelerate the development of safe and effective genome-targeted therapies. Students have the opportunity to work at the forefront of a rapidly developing field, with research spanning functional and computational genomics, CRISPR-based genome editing, RNA editing, antisense oligonucleotides, therapeutic delivery and translational science.
DPhil projects are embedded within a highly collaborative international research programme involving more than 20 leading laboratories at Oxford and partner institutions in the UK, US and Europe, alongside commercial and non-commercial organisations. This gives students access to expertise across the full spectrum of therapeutic development, from identifying and validating targets through to delivery, clinical study design and regulatory science.
Students also benefit from personalised training and mentorship, including an individual training needs analysis and tailored development plan, as well as opportunities for industry internships and experience of both academic and non-academic career pathways.
The programme’s ambition is not only to develop transformative new approaches to treating rare genetic disease, but also to train and empower the next generation of leaders in genomic medicine.
Prospective applicants can explore the available projects and find further information about eligibility, funding and how to apply on the Therapeutic Genomics Centre DPhil Programme pages.