Fully Funded PhD Studentship in AI & Biomedicine – University of Cambridge

An exciting fully funded PhD opportunity is now available at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute under the supervision of Dr Hana Aliee.This interdisciplinary PhD project, titled “Generative Modelling for Foundational Discovery in Biomedicine”, is ideal for students interested in machine learning, artificial intelligence, computational biology, and biomedical discovery.
Location: Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge
Application Deadline: 8 June 2026
Start Date: January 2027
Reference: SW49526
About the Research Group:
The Aliee Group develops advanced machine learning models to answer fundamental biomedical questions such as:
• Why do cells respond differently to stimuli?
• Why do patients show variable treatment responses?
• How do genomic changes alter biological outcomes?

The lab focuses on combining representation learning, causal reasoning, and biological discovery to better understand complex biological systems. Research Areas & TechnologiesThis PhD project will contribute to the development of next-generation generative models for multimodal biological data using:
• Diffusion models
• Flow matching
• Self-supervised learning
• Autoregressive models
• Causal machine learning
• Graph neural networks
• Neural ODEs and SDEs
• Large language and sequence models
• Multimodal data integration

Who Should Apply?
The programme is seeking highly motivated students with:

• Strong background in Machine Learning or AI
• Solid programming skills
• Interest in applying computational methods to biology and medicine Prior knowledge of biology or medicine is not required.

Eligibility Criteria Applicants should hold or expect to obtain:

• BSc/MSc in Computer Science, Mathematics, or related computational fields
• First Class or Upper Second Class degree (or equivalent)Applicants with prior research experience are strongly encouraged to apply.

Funding & BenefitsThis 4-year fully funded studentship includes:

• Full University tuition fees
• Annual stipend starting at £22,500/year (2026–27 rate)
• Funding for four years
• Opportunity to work at a world-leading biomedical research institute
• Interdisciplinary collaboration with experts in AI and biomedicine International students are welcome to apply.
Required Application Materials /Applicants will need to submit:
• CV/Resume
• Academic transcripts
• Statement of Interest
• Research experience summary
• Two academic references
• English proficiency evidence (if applicable)