Funded PhD Studentship in Breast Cancer Biomarkers, Spatial Pathology and Deep Learning, University of Cambridge (CRUK Cambridge Institute)
Job Description
The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute is offering a fully funded PhD position in deep learning for cancer pathology, in the Ali Lab, on finding rational therapeutic biomarkers in breast cancer (reference SW50984).
At a glance
- Position: PhD studentship (fully funded, according to the ad)
- Where: Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Cambridge, UK
- Supervisor: Dr Hamid Raza Ali
- Course start: 1 October 2027
- Field: Spatial multi-omics, computational pathology, deep learning
- Apply: 16 October 2026
About the PhD in deep learning for cancer pathology
- Use spatial multi-omic methods, such as imaging mass cytometry and spatial transcriptomics, together with deep learning for representation and cross-modal learning
- Map where the targets of new breast cancer therapies (for example immunotherapies and antibody-drug conjugates) are expressed in tumour tissue, and how much that varies
- Measure how tissue architecture shapes the expression of those targets
- Propose multidimensional biomarkers to guide combination therapy
- Process and analyse large spatial datasets from breast cancer cohorts spanning observational studies and clinical trials
The lab says it is building some of the largest multimodal spatial datasets of their kind in breast cancer patients. Its team brings together clinicians, pathologists and computational and cancer biologists, and the student will be trained in cancer pathology, highly multiplexed imaging and predictive modelling. The ad points to recent papers from the group in Nature, Nature Genetics, Nature Cancer and Nature Aging for background reading.
Why this role matters
New breast cancer drugs arrive quickly, but many only work when the target sits in the right place within the tumour. Deciding who should get which drug therefore needs biomarkers that read tissue structure, not just a single stain. This PhD sits at that frontier, and gives a computer scientist or mathematician a direct route into spatial cancer biology.
What University of Cambridge is looking for
- A degree in a quantitative discipline such as computer science, AI or mathematics
- Biologists and clinicians are also encouraged to apply if they already have experience with computational methods
Pay and location
The ad describes the studentship as fully funded but does not list the stipend or say which fee status it covers; check the course page or ask the Institute before applying if you are an international applicant. The PhD starts on 1 October 2027 in Cambridge.
How to apply
Apply through the official University of Cambridge page. The closing date is 16 October 2026. Apply via the University Applicant Portal course page, selecting the October 2027 start, and quote reference SW50984.
See all our PhD positions, or browse more research jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: University of Cambridge
Official advertisement: www.jobs.cam.ac.uk
How to prepare for this application
- Read the four papers cited in the ad: be ready to summarise what each found and how your skills would extend it.
- Show image-analysis experience: bring an example of segmentation, representation learning or multimodal modelling on images, even outside medicine.
- Learn the basics of the biology: know the main breast cancer subtypes and how immunotherapy and antibody-drug conjugates work.
- Apply through the right route: the application goes through the University Applicant Portal, choosing the October 2027 start.
- Ask referees early: the ad asks that references arrive as soon as possible. For more supervisors, try our Find a supervisor tool.
About the University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge in England is one of the oldest universities in the world, founded in 1209. It is a collegiate university of 31 colleges and more than 100 departments, faculties and institutes, and its researchers work across the sciences, medicine, engineering, the humanities and social sciences. Postdoctoral researchers are employed by the University on grades set out in its pay scales, with Research Associate posts usually at Grade 7. The Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute is a department of the University and one of Cancer Research UK's core-funded institutes, on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
