Clinical Medicine DPhil

University of Oxford

As a DPhil in Clinical Medicine student, you will conduct research in basic science and/or in clinical medicine. The degree will provide you with research skills, in-depth knowledge, understanding and expertise in your chosen field of research.

Research subjects cover a broad spectrum of sciences related to medicine and include: behavioural science, bioinformatics & statistics (including modelling and computational biology), cell and molecular biology, clinical epidemiology, drug discovery, genetics and genomics, global health and tropical medicine, immunology, integrative physiology (systems biology), microbiology, protein science and structural biology, and transcription biology.

Doctoral students within the Nuffield Department of Medicine carry out research in a single laboratory for three to four years if studying full-time, or six to eight years if studying part-time. There is no period of rotation between laboratories. All doctoral students develop their skills through a range of research training and skills development in their first year of full- time study or first two years of part-time study, by attending compulsory and optional training in laboratory techniques and generic skills, including scientific writing and statistics, while also working at the bench.

You will be encouraged to attend lectures and seminars related to your programme of research and make the most of the doctoral training and research methods provision available across the Medical Sciences Division. The aim is to tailor this training to individual needs and bring all students up to satisfactory level in background knowledge. Later training is focused on the skills required for a successful career in independent research.

The department’s students are part of the Medical Sciences Division; lectures and seminars cut across departments and collaborations are widespread within the University.

As a part-time student you will be required to attend supervision meetings, skills training and other obligations in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each academic year. You will have the opportunity to tailor your part-time study in liaison with your supervisor and agree your pattern of attendance. You may be required to attend fieldwork / laboratory / training sessions on dates to be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor.

Research groups

The Nuffield Department of Medicine (NDM) comprises research groups in several institutes and laboratories, including:

Experimental Medicine Division

Translational Gastroenterology Unit

The Peter Medawar Building

NDM Research Building

Big Data Institute - NDM (BDI)

The Target Discovery Institute (TDI)

Centre for Translational Immunology

Old Road Campus Research Building

Jenner institute

Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research

Centre for Medicines Discovery (CMD)

Pandemic Sciences institute (PSI)

Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health

Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit (MORU) - Thailand

Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) - Vietnam

Oxford Centre for Global Health Research (OCGHR) - Oxford

KEMRI–Wellcome Trust Collaborative Research Programme – Kenya

Wellcome Centre Human Genetics (WHG)

Division of Structural Biology (STRUBI)

Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Oxford Institute (CAMS COI)

Oxford Particle Imaging Centre (OPIC)

Oxford Protein Production Facility (OPPF)

Centre for Cellular and Molecular Physiology (CCMP)