New award for LIDo funds cutting-edge interdisciplinary PhDs combining bioscience with artificial intelligence and advanced computation.

With this award, LIDo is now open for applications for the PhD studentships starting in Autumn 2025, with a deadline of 11 December 2024 at 5pm UK time.

The LIDo consortium provides unique opportunities for doctoral students to pursue discovery and innovation in one of the most vibrant cities in the world. Since 2012, LIDo has graduated over 370 alumni who are employed across diverse sectors across industry, academia, government, and charities.

This new award will equip the next generation of bioscientists for a digitally augmented future. This investment from the government enables LIDo to train students to tackle complex problems in bioscience and biotechnology by integrating experimental techniques with advanced computational methods including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, data science, and modelling.

To ensure that all talented and qualified students can access opportunities in LIDo regardless of socio-economic or demographic background, LIDo has initiated new collaborations with widening participation organisations including Leading Routes, In2ScienceUK, The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation, and Martingale Foundation. These joint activities will continuously nurture a diverse talent pipeline from Year 12 to PhD.

The LIDo consortium comprises eight leading London universities: King’s College London, University College London, Queen Mary University of London, Royal Veterinary College, Birkbeck, University of London, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Royal Holloway, University of London and University of Greenwich's Natural Resources Institute. To deliver research, training, professional development, and career opportunities for our PhD students, LIDo works closely with external collaborators across multiple sectors, including Unilever, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the Natural History Museum, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Food Standards Agency, Discovery Park, and the Alan Turing Institute.