The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) is pleased to invite applications for a PhD studentship as part of a NIHR-funded research programme. The studentship will start in April 2026 and comes with 3.5 years of funding. However, deferring the start date to September 2026 may also be possible.
The award will cover a tax-free stipend of £22,780 per year, tuition fees at home rates and research and travel expenses.
Only those applicants who meet all the eligibility criteria outlined below can be considered for the studentships.
This PhD studentship offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to a collaborative, high-impact research programme focussed on optimising vaccine effectiveness estimation for key respiratory viruses, including influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The student will be based within a multidisciplinary team using the NHS England OpenSAFELY platform, which provides access to linked electronic health records for over 99% of general practices in England. The project will equip the student with advanced statistical and epidemiological skills, experience in handling large-scale EHR data, and the opportunity to work closely with NHS and public health stakeholders.
The research training environment
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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 a supervisory team composed of three members. 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 studentship also comes with a flexible training budget to support external training and development opportunities.
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
- Faculty: Epidemiology and Population Health
- Supervisor: Dr John Tazare, LSHTM ([email protected])
- Co-supervisor: Professor Rosalind Eggo, LSHTM ([email protected])
- Co-supervisor: Dr William Hulme, University of Oxford ([email protected])
Background
Accurate estimation of vaccine effectiveness (VE) is essential for evaluating the impact of vaccination programmes, building confidence in vaccines, and supporting the cost-effective use of NHS resources. The availability of near-real time electronic health record data offers exciting opportunities for enabling rapid and continuous estimation of vaccine effectiveness over time; particularly important since individuals vaccinated against COVID-19, influenza, and RSV all experience waning VE between and within seasonal outbreaks.
This project will investigate the optimal methods for estimating VE as a function of time since administration and understand the host factors that influence waning VE. The developed approaches will be key for optimising timing of vaccination programmes and providing estimates for within-season changes in VE, overall and in population subgroups defined by age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and clinical factors (e.g. diabetes, immunosuppression).
Project objectives
The exact focus of the PhD will be finalised with the successful candidate depending on their interests and prior expertise. Applicants are asked to contact the project supervisors for an informal discussion prior to applying.
The successful candidate will contribute to research on the following topics:
- Adapt and further develop methods to estimate time-varying VE against disease from respiratory viruses (COVID-19, influenza, RSV) using longitudinal patient-level data in OpenSAFELY.
- Estimate VE as a function of time since administration, and determine the influence of host factors, including age, sex, vaccine history, infection history, and comorbidities on VE waning trajectories.
Support structure
- Supervisory team meetings every ~2 weeks
- Advisory panel meetings every 2 months
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must hold, or expect to obtain before the start of the PhD, a relevant Master’s Degree (e.g. in Medical Statistics, Epidemiology) awarded with good grades, or have a combination of relevant qualifications and experience which demonstrates equivalent ability and attainment.
Applicants must meet the criteria for home fees to be eligible to apply. The studentship is not available to candidates who would be liable for overseas fees. Your fee status is determined in accordance with the fee assessment policy (pdf) of LSHTM and regulations defined by the UK Government.
How to apply
Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the primary supervisor for an informal discussion before applying. Applicants must confirm that they meet the eligibility criteria before contacting the primary supervisor. When contacting the primary supervisor, applicants are encouraged to write a short paragraph about their experience and research interests, including ideas for the PhD and explaining how these match the aims of the project, and to provide a short CV.
To apply, submit a completed research degree application online using the LSHTM application portal by the scholarship deadline of 23:59 (BST) on 31 January.
Applicants must ensure all information and standard required documents outlined on the 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 the scope of work 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 documents:
- A personal statement outlining why you are interested in, and suited to, undertaking a PhD in this area at LSHTM; and
- Applicants must indicate that they wish to apply for this funding by writing 'NIHR Vaccine Effectiveness Studentship' in the funding section of the application form.
Incomplete applications will not be considered for this studentship. This includes any applications missing supporting/supplementary documents (e.g. 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.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend an interview.