Studying for a PhD at IRR

PhD training at our Institute is designed to provide students with in-depth research experience and skills, and advanced knowledge in their chosen field. 

Training is offered through hands-on laboratory and research skills development provided by project supervisors, faculty, facility managers and lab support staff, alongside seminars, presentation events, workshops and journal clubs.

PhD students may be involved in collaborative projects that provide cross-disciplinary experience and/or promote translation into the biotechnology or clinical fields. The University provides generic and transferable skills training for postgraduate students.

PhD students are an integral part of our Institute's research community, which seeks to understand the mechanisms controlling tissue regeneration (the restoration of normal tissue architecture and function) and repair (adaptation of a tissue after injury without exact replacement of lost tissue) and exploit this understanding to promote the healing of damaged tissues caused by disease and injury.

The Institute for Regeneration and Repair (IRR) seeks to understand stem cell biology, inflammation and disease to develop new therapies to heal damaged tissues and improve reproductive outcomes.

PhD training at IRR

IRR is a world-leading research institute incorporating the Centre for Regenerative Medicine (CRM), Centre for Inflammation Research (CIR) and Centre for Reproductive Health (CRH). IRR is housed in two state-of-the-art research buildings with capacity for over 1,000 staff and students.

With its proximity to an NHS teaching hospital, top-class clinical research facilities, business bioincubator Nine, Edinburgh BioQuarter, and an integrated Cell Therapy facility, IRR is ideally placed to develop new regenerative therapies to repair tissue damage caused by disease and injury.

IRR provides high-quality research facilities managed by specialist facility staff who provide comprehensive training and support for PhD students.

PhD students at IRR are embedded in the postgraduate student community at the Institute and welcomed onto the programme during the student welcome events at the start of the academic year. Students can also take part in Welcome Week activities organised by the College and the wider university. From the start of the programme, there will be strong connections with other postgraduate students at IRR.

IRR and other Institutes on our campus and other University sites boast active seminar series which provide excellent opportunities to attend talks on a wide range of topics to further your academic knowledge, reflect about personal research interests and career direction, and meet fellow researchers.

How to apply for a PhD

How you apply for your PhD will depend on how it is funded. Information on how to apply for a PhD at our Institute can be found on the University's Degree Finder pages of PhD programmes hosted at IRR: