The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is pleased to invite applications for a full-time PhD studentship (3 years, extendable to 3.5 years subject to satisfactory progress), starting in January 2027, funded by the Royal Society. Only those applicants who meet all the eligibility criteria outlined below can be considered for this studentship.
The student will join the research group of Prof Ian Cockburn in the Department of Infection Biology investigating how the immune system recognises and controls the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, with the aim of identifying new antigen targets for next-generation vaccines.
The research training environment
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The studentship will be based in the Infectious and Tropical Diseases Faculty.
General information about the MPhil/PhD programme structure at LSHTM can be found on the Research Degrees and Doctoral College pages. Students will be mentored by supervisors at LSHTM, and can be guided by an Advisory Committee consisting of at least two other experienced researchers who may be external to LSHTM. Students are expected to take part in the academic life of their department and can also be members of Academic Centres. All research seminars and journal clubs are open to PhD students from across LSHTM. Students are able to take up to four Master’s level Study Modules per academic year, subject to approval from their supervisor. The PhD programme also facilitates national and international conference attendance by students.
Support for research students’ future career development is covered through the supervision process, through the Transferable Skills Programme (in the School and the Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network) and the LSHTM’s Careers Service.
The successful applicant will have unprecedented opportunities to network and establish professional contacts through formal and informal interactions with members of staff at LSHTM and other students.
Doctoral research project
This studentship is available to applicants interested in pursuing a PhD project in immunology and vaccinology, with a focus on identifying novel protective antigen targets for malaria vaccines.
Background
Malaria, caused by the Plasmodium parasite, is responsible for the deaths of over 600,000 people per year. Current malaria vaccines target a single parasite protein (PfCSP) and give only partial, short-lived protection. It is critical to identify new targets for vaccines and new mechanisms of protection. As part of a Royal Society-funded project, we are seeking a student to work on one aspect of this key challenge. One arm of the project looks at identifying new antibody targets that can protect against malaria. The other seeks to understand how we can harness another branch of the immune system, CD4⁺ T cells, for protection. Within this scope, the student will be able to choose one of the following two project directions and play a key role in shaping the final project.
Project A: New antigen targets for malaria vaccines
Building on antibody sequences already generated from immunised mice, the student will:
- Clone and express monoclonal antibodies from mPfCSP mice
- Screen antibodies for binding to the surface of malaria sporozoites
- Test surface-binding antibodies for their ability to block parasite infection
- Use mass spectrometry, phage display and related techniques to identify the target antigens of protective antibodies
- Depending on progress, begin early-stage testing of these antigens as vaccine candidates
Project B: Harnessing CD4⁺ T cells for malaria protection
Using a T cell receptor transgenic mouse model that recognises malaria parasites (CST-II mice), the student will:
- Investigate how and where CD4⁺ T cells recognise malaria parasites in the liver, using bone marrow chimera models
- Determine how CD4⁺ T cells collaborate with CD8⁺ T cells to control infection
- Test vaccination strategies designed to generate protective CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell responses together
- Depending on progress, extend into work on which memory T cell populations are the key effectors of protection
Support structure
- Weekly meetings with supervisor
- Advisory panel meets every 3 months
Skills/methods
- Molecular cloning and recombinant protein expression
- Flow cytometry
- Rodent handling and in vivo immunology (training provided)
- Interest in vaccinology and parasite immunology
The research project will be supervised by:
- Professor Ian A Cockburn (LSHTM)
Find out more about the lab:
Financial support
The studentship award covers:
- tuition fees (at the LSHTM Home fee rate);
- a tax-free stipend, starting at £23,805 per annum (2026-27 rate, including London weighting), for 3 years, extendable to 3.5 years subject to satisfactory progress; and
- research consumables and training costs, supported through the wider Royal Society Fellowship award.
Eligibility criteria
All applicants must meet minimum LSHTM entry requirements.
This PhD Studentship award is only available to candidates who meet the eligibility requirements for the Home fee rate. Please see the LSHTM fee assessment policy (pdf) in particular the ’criteria‘ section, for further details. Further information about fee status assessment can be found on the UKCISA website.
Please note that due to the high volume of enquiries we receive, we will not be able to respond to emails from applicants who do not meet these eligibility criteria.
How to apply
Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact Prof Cockburn ([email protected]) for an informal discussion before applying.
To apply, submit a completed research degree application online using the LSHTM application portal by the scholarship deadline of 23:59 (BST) on 1 October 2026
Applicants must ensure all information and standard required documents outlined on the LSHTM before you apply page is included/uploaded with the application, including:
- academic transcripts (official transcripts for all completed study; interim transcripts for any ongoing programmes of study);
- a two-page Curriculum Vitae;
- a research proposal (the research proposal should identify a specific research question or hypothesis, expanding on one of the topics listed on the website, summarise the relevant background information (with no more than five key references) and should outline an appropriate research methodology by which the question can be addressed); and
- references.
In addition, applicants for this scholarship must upload the following document:
- A personal statement outlining why you are interested in, and suited to, undertaking a PhD in this area at LSHTM
Applicants must indicate that they wish to apply for this funding by writing 'LSHTM-Royal Society Scholarship' in the 'Funding' section of the admissions portal.
Incomplete applications will not be considered for this studentship. This includes any applications missing supporting/supplementary documents (eg transcripts or references) at the deadline. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete and therefore applications should be submitted as early as possible to give referees time to submit their references prior to the deadline.
By submitting an application for this funding applicants agree to its terms and conditions.
Applicants short-listed for funding will be invited for interview. Interviews will likely be held remotely (via Teams or Zoom).