Project details

How is a healthy nervous system is formed in the embryo? This question is fundamental for understanding evolution of human development and inborn errors that cause congenital defects and miscarriage. However, around the stage of implantation into the uterus, human embryos become inaccessible for study.

Fortunately, pluripotent stem cells may be induced to self-organise into neural tissues in vitro. In this PhD project you will exploit this experimental model to investigate how waves of coordinated cell differentiation contribute to human neural induction in vitro. You will use a combination of live time-lapse imaging, molecular analyses, and optionally, computational modelling. This project aims to advance our understanding of human neural induction and ultimately to shed new light on human developmental disease.

The project provides interdisciplinary training in molecular, stem cell and developmental biology, microscopy, and bioinformatics, with an additional opportunity to learn computer modelling. You will be part of a dedicated developmental biology laboratory, where you will work and learn alongside other highly interactive research groups as part of the Norwich Developmental Biology and Stem Cell Network.

We are excited to hear from potential applicants and encourage informal enquiries. Please contact Prof. Grant Wheeler (grant.wheeler@uea.ac.uk) or Dr Tim Grocott (t.grocott@uea.ac.uk) for further information.

The Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP) is offering fully funded studentships for October 2026 entry. The programme offers postgraduates the opportunity to undertake a 4-year PhD research project whilst enhancing professional development and research skills through a comprehensive training programme. You will join a vibrant community of world-leading researchers. All NRPDTP students undertake a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS) during their study. The placement offers exciting and invaluable work experience designed to enhance professional development. Full support and advice will be provided by our Professional Internship team.

This project has been shortlisted for funding by the NRPDTP. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on 3,4 or 5 February 2026.

Visit our website for further information on eligibility and how to apply: https://biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/.

Our partners value diverse and inclusive work environments that are positive and supportive. Students are selected for admission without regard to gender, marital or civil partnership status, disability, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or social background.

To maximise accessibility and attract students from underrepresented groups to our programme we have introduced bespoke templates for applicant Personal and Research statements which will enable every applicant to fully represent themselves through providing suitable examples and evidence. These forms are on the NRPDTP website and must be used for these sections of the application form.

Entry requirements

At least UK equivalence Bachelors (Honours) 2:1. English Language requirement (Faculty of Science equivalent: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category).

Funding

This project is awarded with a 4-year Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership PhD DTP studentship. The studentship includes payment of tuition fees (directly to the University), a stipend to cover living expenses (2025/6 stipend rate: £20,780), and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000pa for each year of the studentship.

References

Brodland, G. W. et al. Furrowing surface contraction wave coincident with primary neural induction in amphibian embryos. J. Morphol. 219, 131–142 (1994).

Stern, C. D. The organizer and neural induction in birds and mammals. Curr. Top. Dev. Biol. 157, 43–65 (2024).

Grocott, T., Lozano-Velasco, E., Mok, G. F. & Münsterberg, A. E. The Pax6 master control gene initiates spontaneous retinal development via a self-organising Turing network. Development 147, (2020).

Grocott, T., Frost, V., Maillard, M., Johansen, T., Wheeler, G. N., Dawes, L. J., Wormstone, I. M., Chantry, A. The MH1 domain of Smad3 interacts with Pax6 and represses autoregulation of the Pax6 P1 promoter. Nucleic Acids Res. 35, 890–901 (2007).

Antonaci M, Wheeler GN. MicroRNAs in neural crest development and neurocristopathies. Biochem Soc Trans. 50(2):965-974 (2022).

Brain Waves: Modelling human neural induction with pluripotent stem cells (WHEELER_U26DTP)

Project details

Entry requirements

Funding

References