NIHR-Funded PhD Studentship 2026 at LSHTM

The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), in partnership with Imperial College London, has announced applications for a fully funded PhD studentship on health inequalities in infectious disease transmission. This studentship is part of the NIHR-funded Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Health Analytics and Modelling and is set to begin in January 2026.

This prestigious opportunity is open to academically strong candidates with a passion for infectious disease modelling and health inequality research. The program offers a unique chance to train under internationally renowned supervisors and contribute to high-impact public health research in the UK.

Scholarship Award Package

The selected student will receive a comprehensive 3.5-year funding package, which includes:

• Tax-free stipend of £22,780 per year
• Full tuition fees at UK home rates
• Research and travel expenses
• Access to a flexible training budget to support professional development

In addition to financial support, students will benefit from the world-class research environment of LSHTM, active participation in academic seminars, access to national and international conferences, and opportunities to collaborate with leading experts at LSHTM, Imperial College London, and UKHSA.

Research Focus

The PhD project will explore health inequalities in respiratory virus transmission, focusing on diseases such as RSV, influenza, and COVID-19, which have shown disparities across different ethnic and socio-economic groups in England.

Key objectives include:

• Developing models of social mixing patterns across ethnicity, age, and socio-economic factors
• Simulating epidemic dynamics that highlight health disparities
• Analysing UK Social Contact Survey data to design transmission models with ethnic and demographic stratification
• Applying Bayesian modelling approaches to fit data on virus circulation and assess the role of health inequities and vaccines

The student will be trained in advanced epidemiological modelling, data analysis, and public engagement, gaining expertise that directly supports future careers in academia, government, and global health research.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Hold (or expect to hold before January 2026) a relevant Master’s degree such as Epidemiology, Disease Control, or related fields.
• Demonstrate experience with transmission modelling and coding skills (ideally in R or C++).
• Be enthusiastic about learning new methodologies in infectious disease modelling.
• Must qualify for UK home fee status. Unfortunately, overseas applicants are not eligible due to funding restrictions.

How to Apply

Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the lead supervisor, Prof Rosalind Eggo ([email protected]), for an informal discussion before applying.

The application must be submitted through the LSHTM research degree application portal and include:

• Academic transcripts (official/interim)
• A two-page CV
• A research proposal (with defined question, methodology, and up to 5 references)
• A personal statement outlining motivation and suitability
• References

Applicants must also indicate their interest by writing “NIHR HPRU HAM Ethnicity Studentship” in the funding section of the application form https://www.lshtm.ac.uk/study/fees-and-funding/funding-scholarships/research-degree-funding/nihr-funded-phd-studentship.

Key Deadline

The last date to apply for the NIHR-funded PhD Studentship at LSHTM is 31 August 2025 (23:59 BST).