Queen's University Belfast
PhD Pharmacy
Belfast, United Kingdom
DURATION
3 Years
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline *
EARLIEST START DATE
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TUITION FEES
GBP 23,850 **
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* there is no standard closing date
** International Fee
Introduction
The School of Pharmacy focuses its research activities on key areas of the pharmaceutical sciences and clinical and primary care aspects of pharmacy. Our research spans a wide range of scientific and professional disciplines. It is characterised by being multidisciplinary, internationally connected and, ultimately, relevant to patients.
The School achieved an excellent result in REF 2014, we have 92% of our research falling within the highest quality 4* and 3* categories. We are now one of the leading centres for pharmaceutical research in the UK. The School is also committed to research excellence. This is achieved through continual review of research standards, strategic recruitment and development of external and internal collaborations. The School has a broad portfolio of high-quality research income and School staff publish widely in leading journals and present their work at national and international conferences.
Our research focuses on making real-world improvements for patients through our expertise in pharmaceutical science and practice and is grouped into 5 themes with associated areas of activity which are mainly funded by UK and European Government sources, leading medical charities and the pharmaceutical industry.
1. Nanomedicine and Biotherapeutics
This area looks at the development of novel technologies and targeted therapies for advanced healthcare solutions including anticancer therapeutics, nano delivery of macromolecules; proteases in disease and natural peptides.
2. Pharmaceutical Materials Science and Formulation
This activity centres around the design, development and industrial translation of novel systems for patient-focused administration of difficult-to-deliver drugs including; HIV prevention and multipurpose prevention technologies; solid dosage forms and microneedles.
3. Drug Delivery and Biomaterials
The area looks at the development of materials that interface with the body and provide enhanced functionality, such as drug delivery, infection resistance or monitoring of levels of drug or host markers in 3 main areas, Photoactive Biomaterials, Polymeric Medical Devices and Sensor Development.
4. Infection and Antimicrobial Resistance
This comprises basic and clinical research to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of infection, in particular, Respiratory Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Stewardship and Novel Antimicrobials and Anti-Infective Biomaterials
5. Healthcare Delivery and Medicines Optimisation
This area encompasses the development and implementation of interventions that improve the health outcomes of patients in primary and secondary care including Systems of Healthcare Delivery; Quality of Care in Vulnerable Populations and Clinical Paediatrics
Pharmacy Highlights
World-Class Facilities
The modules are delivered in the University's Graduate School.
Internationally Renowned Experts
This unique programme is delivered by leading international academic experts in specialist fields including drug delivery, medical devices and nanotechnology
Student Experience
94% of current PhD students agree that the School of Pharmacy equips them with the necessary skills and experience to complete their research degree (PRES 2019).
Research Information
Associated Research
School of Pharmacy works closely with both local and global pharmaceutical companies. This ensures a successful pipeline for the development of novel emerging healthcare technologies, designed specifically to deliver patient benefit.
Research Themes
Our research focuses on making real-world improvements for patients through our expertise in pharmaceutical science and practice. REF 2014 showed that 92% of the School’s submitted research fell within the highest quality 4* and 3* categories, with 44% classed as world-leading 4* research.
The School of Pharmacy has a long-standing track record in undertaking research that has had an impact on healthcare and wellbeing for the population. Our work has led to the development of a local anaesthetic cream formulation, the creation of spin-out companies, devices to help prevent the spread of HIV and a new type of pharmacy-led service which improves the prescribing of medication for older people. We constantly strive to do research that will have applications in society and improve the delivery of health care. One example of our high impact research includes the BREATH project led by Professor Lorraine Martin.
Research Projects
Materials & Advanced Technologies for Healthcare (MATCH) is an interdisciplinary research initiative comprising leading researchers from the Schools of Pharmacy, Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Biological Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences and Nursing & Midwifery.
Our research is centred on the key question: “How can we use advanced technologies to significantly improve healthcare outcomes?” We connect researchers along the development pathway and follow a unique “Molecule to Patient” approach. Currently, single-stranded strategies are applied to the development and use of new healthcare products. Without a holistic approach, medicines are wasted, patients suffer avoidable adverse effects, or go untreated. Greater interaction between those involved in identifying novel therapeutic targets, drug discovery, materials science, pharmaceutical formulation, manufacture, diagnosis, prescribing and medicines utilisation is a significant unmet need. If addressed, this stands to have a major impact on the care of all patients, but especially the very young and old, representing the populations in which medicines may present the greatest risk, but have maximum benefit. We take an innovative dual approach, firstly by developing the underpinning technologies, secondly by exploiting the possibilities that these technologies present to maximum clinical and commercial advantage by selecting the best target areas and understanding patient factors.
Research Success
The research profile produced by the 2014 UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) showed that 92% of the School’s submitted research fell within the highest quality 4* and 3* categories, with 44% classed as world-leading 4* research, confirming the School's reputation as an internationally-leading research centre. Excellence across the School of Pharmacy is evidenced by our consistent ranking as one of the top pharmacy schools within the UK. Globally we are rated within the top 100 Schools of Pharmacy.
Gallery
Admissions
Curriculum
Research Information
Associated Research
School of Pharmacy works closely with both local and global pharmaceutical companies. This ensures a successful pipeline for the development of novel emerging healthcare technologies, designed specifically to deliver patient benefit.
Research Themes
Nanomedicine And Biotherapeutics
Research in this theme is focused on the development of novel technologies and targeted therapies for advanced healthcare solutions. Activities are concentrated on the development of unique genetic therapies and delivery systems that can be applied for the detection and treatment of various disease condition, design and commercial translation of novel nanomedicines with a focus on cancer treatment, the detection, characterisation and inhibition of proteases implicated in chronic diseases, the isolation and characterisation of bioactive peptides for potential therapeutic use and computational biology for drug design and molecular modelling.
Research Themes
Pharmaceutical Materials Science And Formulation
Research in this theme is focused on the design, development and industrial translation of novel systems for patient-focused administration of difficult-to-deliver drugs. Activities are concentrated on the development of formulations to address major global issues around sexual and reproductive health, use of hot melt granulation and polymer extrusion/injection moulding technologies to produce solid dosage forms, multi-layered and targeted drug delivery systems, the use microneedles for transdermal drug delivery, patient monitoring and vaccine delivery, implantable delivery systems and ocular therapeutics.
Research Themes
Drug Delivery And Biomaterials
Research in this theme is focused on the development of materials which interface with the body and provide enhanced functionality, such as drug delivery, infection resistance or monitoring of levels of drug or host markers. Activities are concentrated on the development of new methods for fabricating materials for medical device manufacture including biomaterials with enhanced anti-infective and biocompatibility properties. Sensor research focuses on sensors immobilised in biocompatible scaffolds, blood-free diagnosis/patient monitoring using microneedles and developing point-of-care tests for microbial infection.
Research Themes
Infection And Antimicrobial Resistance
Research in this theme is focused on improved prevention, detection and treatment of infection. Activities are concentrated on preventing the development of antimicrobial resistance through improved antimicrobial stewardship, improved detection of infection using molecular and sensor based technology, prevention of infection using novel anti-infective biomaterials and enhanced infection prevention and control strategies and improved treatment of infection through discovery of novel antibiotics and antibiotic adjuvants and markers for better evidence-based decisions on antibiotic selection.
Research Themes
Healthcare Delivery And Medicines Optimisation
Research in this theme is focused on the development and implementation of interventions that improve the health outcomes of patients in primary and secondary care. Activities are concentrated on improving systems of patient care in all health care sectors with a focus on the appropriateness of prescribing in chronic disease and in care home residents with dementia, and medication adherence in children.
Research Themes
The School of Pharmacy at Queen’s is widely acknowledged as a leading centre for Pharmacy teaching and research in the UK. We are currently ranked 2nd School of Pharmacy in the UK for Pharmacy and Pharmacology Research
(The Complete University Guide 2022)
PhD opportunities are available in:
•Nanomedicine and biotherapeutics
•Pharmaceutical materials science and formulation
•Drug delivery and biomaterials
•Infection and antimicrobial resistance
•Healthcare delivery and medicines optimisation
Research Themes
Our research focuses on making real-world improvements for patients through our expertise in pharmaceutical science and practice. REF 2021 showed that 97% of the School’s submitted research fell within the highest quality 4* and 3* categories, with 43% classed as world- leading 4* research.
The School of Pharmacy has a long-standing track record in undertaking research which has had impact on healthcare and wellbeing for the population. Our work has led to the development of a local anaesthetic cream formulation, the creation of several spin-out companies (e.g. ProAxsis, pHion Therapeutics, Re-Vana Therapeutics), devices to help prevent the spread of HIV and a new type of pharmacy-led service which improves the prescribing of medication for older people. We constantly strive to do research which will positively impact society and improve the delivery of health care. One example of our high impact research includes the BREATH project led by Professor Lorraine Martin (https://www.breath-copd.org).
Research Projects
Materials & Advanced Technologies for Healthcare (MATCH) is an interdisciplinary research initiative comprising leading researchers from the Schools of Pharmacy, Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Biological Sciences, Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences and Nursing & Midwifery.
Our research is based on one key question: “How can we use advanced technologies to significantly improve healthcare outcomes?” We connect researchers along the development pathway and follow a unique “Molecule to Patient” approach. Currently, single-stranded strategies are applied to development and use of new healthcare products. Without a holistic approach, medicines are wasted, patients suffer avoidable adverse effects, or go untreated. Greater interaction between those involved in identifying novel therapeutic targets, drug discovery, materials science, pharmaceutical formulation, manufacture, diagnosis, prescribing and medicines utilisation is a significant unmet need. If addressed, this stands to have major impact in the care of all patients, but especially the very young and old, representing the populations in which medicines may present the greatest risk, but have maximum benefit. We take an innovative dual approach, firstly by developing the underpinning technologies, secondly by exploiting the possibilities that these technologies present to maximum clinical and commercial advantage by selecting the best target areas and understanding patient factors.
Research Success
The research profile produced by the 2021 UK Research Excellence Framework (REF) showed that 97% of the research outputs with our combined Allied Health Professions, Dentistry, Nursing and Pharmacy submission fell within the highest quality 4* and 3* categories, with 51% classed as world-leading 4* research, confirming our reputation as an internationally-leading research centre. Excellence across the School of Pharmacy is evidenced by our consistent ranking as one of the top pharmacy schools within the UK. We are very proud that in 2022 our School was ranked by the QS World Rankings in the top 15% (55th) globally for Pharmacy and Pharmacology.
Course structure
There is no specific course content as such. You are expected to undertake 30 days of formal training which includes demonstrator training, laboratory techniques, annual progress review preparation etc. All students are closely supported by the school to obtain quantitative and qualitative data using a range of research methods. You will be expected to carry out your own research under the guidance of your supervisor and postdoctoral team.
Over the course of study, you can attend postgraduate skills training organised by the Graduate School.
You will normally register, in the first instance, as an ‘undifferentiated PhD student’ which means that you have satisfied staff that you are capable of undertaking a research degree. The decision as to whether you should undertake an MPhil or a PhD is delayed until you have completed ‘differentiation’.
Differentiation takes place about 9-12 months after registration for full-time students and about 18-30 months for part-time students: You are normally asked to submit work to a panel of up to two academics and this is followed up with a formal meeting with the ‘Differentiation Panel’. The Panel then make a decision regarding your progress and the viability of your research project. Annual progress reviews, with the same panel, will occur both during the 2nd and 3rd year.
To complete a doctoral qualification you will be required to submit a thesis and to attend a viva voce [oral examination] with an external and internal examiner to defend your research.
A PhD programme runs for 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time. Students can apply for writing up year should it be required.
The PhD is open to both full and part-time candidates and is often a useful preparation for a career within academia or industry.
Full-time students are often attracted to research degree programmes because they offer an opportunity to pursue in some depth an area of academic interest.
If you meet the Entry Requirements, the next step is to check whether we can supervise research in your chosen area. We only take students to whom we can offer expert research supervision from one of our academic staff. Therefore, your research interests should align with those of our academic staff. Full details can be found via the website.
Program Outcome
A research degree offers students an opportunity to develop their capacity for independent research and critical thought. A PhD allows students to explore in-depth an area of interest, developing skills to solve theoretical and practical problems within the field. Undertaking a research degree will enhance a student’s written and oral communication skills, providing the essential skills required for academic and industry leadership positions.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Many of our PhD graduates have moved into academic and research roles in Higher Education while others go on to play leading roles within the pharmaceutical industry. Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus bolster our commitment to employability.
Employment after the Course
Queen’s University offers extensive career development opportunities to PhD students.
Facilities
Accreditations
English Language Requirements
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