Route One

Pre-determined Project

Applicants choosing Route 1 will apply for one of the Midlands+ MHN PhD Programme projects developed and advertised by our academic supervisors. This route is ideal for candidates who wish to join an established research project, benefit from a clearly defined research plan, and work with a supervisory team that is already in place.

Projects have been designed to align with the programme’s mental and brain health research priorities and provide opportunities to contribute to high-quality, challenge-led discovery research.

Who is this route best suited to?

  • Applicants who want to join an established research project.
  • Applicants who are seeking a clearly defined research question and methodology.
  • Applicants who would benefit from working within an existing research programme and supervisory structure.

Next Steps

  1. Review the available projects
    • Explore the list of available 2027 projects and identify those that align with your academic background, professional experience, research interests, and future career goals.
    • Consider the project’s aims, proposed methods, supervisory team, and any desirable applicant attributes outlined in the advert.
  2. Contact the lead supervisor
    • We encourage you to discuss your suitability and interest with the lead supervisor before preparing a full application.
    • To support these conversations, please complete and attach the Initial Contact Form when making your first enquiry. This helps supervisors understand your background and interest in the project.
  3. Discuss project fit and expectations
    • Conversations with supervisors can help you better understand the project scope, required skills, training opportunities, and potential career development benefits.
    • Supervisors may also be able to advise whether your experience and interests are well aligned with the project.
  4. Obtain supervisor support
    • Before submitting your full application, you must obtain confirmation of support from the lead supervisor for your chosen project.
    • We strongly encourage applicants to work collaboratively with supervisors when preparing their application to ensure it is as competitive as possible.
    • Confirmation of supervisor support will be verified before applications are shortlisted.

PhD Registration and Host Institution

Applicants should be aware that, if offered a place on the 2027 Midlands+ MHN DTP cohort, they will normally be registered for their PhD at the institution of their lead supervisor. For Route 1 projects, this is typically the institution at which the advertised project is based. While you may benefit from training, collaboration and supervision from multiple consortium partners, your primary registration, enrolment and degree award will normally be through your lead supervisor’s institution.

2027 Projects by Theme

Projects are grouped by theme. The list specifies the name of the lead project supervisor and their institution. To view more information about the individual projects, please click the project title.

For more information on the themes listed on the project pages, and for details of our theme leads, please visit our research page.

Comorbidity

Led by Professor Noelle Robertson

Project Title
Supervisor
Institution
Understanding and targeting sleep and circadian rhythms in patients with comorbid depression and cardiovascular disease Dr Isabel Morales-Muñoz University of Birmingham
Cardiometabolic dysfunction before psychosis onset: Antecedents of psychosis and severe mental illness in adolescents and young adults Dr Amedeo Minichino University of Oxford
Developing and Validating a Behaviour Checklist for Adults with Intellectual Disability Dr Hayley Crawford University of Warwick

 

Implementation

Led by Associate Professor Michelle O’Reilly

Project Title
Supervisor
Institution
The INTERFACE Study: Optimising stroke secondary prevention at the interface between hospital and community care Dr Jatinder Minhas University of Leicester
Understanding how adolescents’ needs, preferences and developmental stage shape pathways to support following self-harm Professor Mina Fazel University of Oxford
Developing and targeting interventions to reduce violence risk in psychosis Professor Seena Fazel University of Oxford
Optimising support and retention of patients enrolled in severe traumatic brain injury clinical trials: a mixed-methods study Professor Keith Couper University of Warwick
An intersectional multi-method evaluation of NHS perinatal mental health referral pathways and thresholds Dr Beck Taylor University of Warwick

 

Mechanisms

Led by Professor Belinda Lennox
Project Title
Supervisor
Institution
Thalamocortical contributions to conduct disorder Professor Andrew Bagshaw University of Birmingham
Building the Foundations of Mental Health: Understanding and Supporting Executive Function and Emotion Regulation in Early Childhood Dr Alexandra Henry University of Birmingham
Sticky Thoughts: Brain mechanisms of working-memory removal and repetitive negative thinking Dr Paul Muhle-Karbe University of Birmingham
Investigating the impacts of environmental exposome on mental and brain health across the lifespan in the UK populations Dr Samuel Cai University of Leicester
MATERNITY CONNECT: Understanding how social connection, community and maternity care shape mental health during pregnancy Dr Sara Borrelli University of Nottingham
EmpaMEG: Investigating the neural basis of empathy in antisocial personality disorder and psychopathy using OPM-MEG and 7T MRS Dr John Tully University of Nottingham
Bridging Brain and Behaviour: Neurobehavioural Phenotypes of Circuit Dysfunction in First-Episode Psychosis (FEP) Dr Graham Blackman University of Oxford
Calcium in severe mental illness: ATP2A2 isoforms from human brain to neuronal networks (CAL-SMI) Professor Jeremy Hall University of Oxford
Discovering neuronal autoimmunity in psychosis: From clinical phenotype to cellular mechanisms Professor Belinda Lennox University of Oxford
Investigating the 5-HT4 receptor as a novel target for modulating cognition in ADHD Professor Susannah Murphy University of Oxford
Investigating sleep pressure as a novel target in bipolar disorder using genomics Professor Rachel Upthegrove University of Oxford
From Work to Mind: Mechanisms linking Psychosocial Hazards to Anxiety and Depression in Frontline NHS Staff Dr Carla Toro University of Warwick

 

Systems Diagnostics

Led by Associate Professor Benjamin Perry

Project Title
Supervisor
Institution
From prediction to personalised prevention: Causal modelling of individualised cardiometabolic treatment effects in early psychosis Dr Benjamin Perry University of Birmingham

 

Technology

Led by Associate Professor Grazziela Figuerdo

Project Title
Supervisor
Institution
Menstrual-cycle-driven fluctuations in cortical excitability: A basis for temporally-targeted TMS in major depression Dr Charlotte Reese Marshall University of Birmingham
Sense, Model, Regulate: Personalised Soft Wearable Robotics for Early Intervention in Anxiety Dr Maria Elena Giannaccini University of Nottingham
From the Test to Real Life: Investigating the Ecological Validity of Digital Cognitive Assessment Dr Mohammad Zia Ul Haq Katshu University of Nottingham
Evaluating the Psychological Impact of AI-Simulated Deceased Loved Ones on the Grief Process Professor Elvira Perez Vallejos University of Nottingham
Leveraging population-level data for precision image-derived phenotyping in mental health Professor Stamatios Sotiropoulos University of Nottingham
Individualised Neural Circuit Mapping for Image-Guided Neuromodulation Dr James Grist University of Oxford
Minimal EEG, Maximal Information: Developing a scalable biomarker of CNS function Robert McCutcheon University of Oxford
Co-designing and feasibility testing a digital programme to improve mental wellbeing and self-efficacy in neurodivergent parents Dr Samantha Flynn University of Warwick