The BHF 4-year PhD programme aims to train the next generation of researchers to develop innovative approaches for preventing cardiovascular diseases.
Cardiovascular diseases are a major cause of illness and death worldwide. Preventing these conditions before they develop is one of the most effective ways to improve health. However, doing this requires new approaches that combine insights from biology, population health and data science.
This PhD programme will train a new generation of researchers to tackle cardiovascular disease prevention by equipping a new generation of cross-disciplinary researchers to work at the intersection of three frontiers:
Population health – analysing large-scale health data from diverse populations to understand disease risk and prevention
Systems biology – studying the biological processes underlying disease across multiple levels, from cells to whole organisms
Artificial intelligence and data science – developing computational methods to integrate and interpret complex biomedical data.
The programme brings together leading scientists from the Universities of Cambridge, Edinburgh, Imperial College London and Oxford, working in partnership with our academic or industry partners, including EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Sanger Institute, AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, Genomics Ltd, Owlstone Medical, ThermoFischer Scientific and Flagship Pioneering.
The programme is designed to prepare students to work in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments, recognising that many of the most important advances in disease prevention occur where different scientific fields meet.
A key aim of the programme is also to advance research that benefits diverse and previously under-studied populations, helping to generate new knowledge that can reduce inequalities in cardiovascular health.
By combining interdisciplinary training with real-world collaboration, the programme seeks to equip students with the expertise and networks needed to become leaders in cardiovascular disease prevention research.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the programme, students will be able to:
Knowledge and Understanding
Demonstrate advanced knowledge of cardiovascular disease prevention and the biological, behavioural and environmental factors that influence cardiovascular health.
Understand how insights from population health, systems biology and data science/AI can be integrated to address complex health challenges.
Critically evaluate large-scale, multimodal biomedical data and the strengths and limitations of different analytical approaches.
Understand the ethical, societal and translational implications of data-driven research in health.
Research skills
Design and conduct high-quality, original research addressing important questions in cardiovascular disease prevention.
Analyse and interpret complex datasets using appropriate statistical, computational and machine-learning methods.
Integrate data across multiple sources and scales, including biological, clinical and population-level information.
Apply reproducible research practices, open science principles and responsible data stewardship.
Interdisplinary training
Work effectively in cross-disciplinary teams, communicating across fields such as epidemiology, biology, clinical science, engineering and data science.
Engage with collaborators across academia, healthcare, industry and policy to translate research findings into practical applications.
Professional and leadership skills
Communicate research clearly to academic, clinical, policy and public audiences through written, oral and digital formats.
Demonstrate leadership, project management and collaborative skills in complex research environments.
Identify opportunities for innovation and translation, including engagement with industry and entrepreneurial pathways.
Impact and translation
Develop research that contributes to improving cardiovascular disease prevention and population health.
Understand how scientific discoveries can be translated into real-world interventions, policies or technologies.
Continuing
Students who wish to continue to a PhD must complete an MPhil at the level of a pass and will be required to satisfy their potential supervisor, Head of Department and the Faculty Degree Committee that they have the skills and ability to achieve the higher degree.
Open Days
The University hosts and attends fairs and events throughout the year, in the UK and across the world. We also offer online events to help you explore your options:
· Discover Cambridge: Master’s and PhD study webinars - these Spring events provide practical information about applying for postgraduate study.
· Postgraduate Virtual Open Days - taking place in November each year, the Open Days focus on subject and course information.
For more information about upcoming events visit our events pages.
Departments
This course is advertised in the following departments: