PhD Opportunities with MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership

Bangor PhD Opportunities

Are you ready to take the next step in your academic journey? Are you curious to apply your skills and knowledge in a health-related discipline? The MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership offers an exciting opportunity to undertake a fully funded PhD focused on improving the way clinical trials are designed and conducted.

The programme offers projects aligned with various areas including statistics, data analytics and informatics, computer science, health economics, qualitative methods, mixed-methods, clinical medicine, and psychology. This is a great opportunity for students from a range of subject areas to apply their skills a trials methodology setting.

There are three potential PhD projects available at Bangor University, including:

• Value of funding research that is substantially comparable to a previously failed randomised controlled trial in terms of the question being addressed (PHOENIX).

Lead supervisor: Dr Will Hardy w.hardy@bangor.ac.uk

• How should the environmental impact of medicines be considered in the context of trial outcomes?

Lead supervisor: Dr Catrin Plumpton c.o.plumpton@bangor.ac.uk

• Developing linked pharmacometric-pharmacoeconomic analyses to inform clinical trial design.

Lead supervisor: Professor Dyfrig Hughes d.a.hughes@bangor.ac.uk

Please contact the lead supervisors if you are interested in any of these projects

Hear from one of our current PhD students, Non Davies, who began her PhD journey at Bangor University in October 2022:

“I began my Master of Science by Research degree at Bangor University’s Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation (CHEME), where I was immersed in the world of research.” 

Speaking of her experience, she said,

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue my studies at Bangor. The support I have received from my supervisors, colleagues at CHEME, as well as Bangor University’s Doctoral School during both my master’s, and the transition to PhD, has been second to none. The opportunities through the MRC-DTP are also invaluable, and there’s a great sense of community, with regular meet-ups with the other students”.

The MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership began in June 2019 following funding awarded by the MRC-NIHR Methodology Research Programme. The Partnership is led by Professor Paula Williamson, previously chair of the MRC HTMR Network.

The TMRP brings together a number of networks, institutions and partners working in trials and trials methodology research.

The TMRP partner networks who will join the five Hubs within the MRC HTMR Network include: 

• The Global Health Network (TGHN)
• Health Research Board – Trials Methodology Research Network (HRB-TMRN)
• Health Data Research UK
• UKCRC Registered CTU Network
• UK Trial Managers’ Network (UK TMN)

In addition, groups from 25 universities are collaborating to offer doctoral training in trials methodology research. Together these studentships will form the new MRC-NIHR Trials Methodology Research Partnership PhD student cohort.

Eight working groups will specialise in specific areas relevant to trial methodology.  

The TMRP offers an opportunity to build on the achievements of the MRC HTMR Network while exploring new collaborations and avenues to make continued progress in advancing trial methodology, developing capacity and further reducing research waste.