BHF Multidisciplinary PhD Programme

British Heart Foundation CHAIN PhD programme offers funded studentships studying links between heart disease stroke and dementia at Manchester Bristol Liverpool

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) Multidisciplinary PhD Programme is offering ten fully funded four-year PhD studentships as part of the newly established CHAIN (Connecting Hearts And mINds) consortium; a partnership between the British Heart Foundation, The University of Manchester, the University of Bristol, and the University of Liverpool.

Together, the consortium will train the next generation of cardiovascular scientists to adopt an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to understanding, predicting, and disrupting the complex interactions between heart and brain diseases.

About the consortium

Heart and brain diseases frequently occur together, creating serious and often compounding risks for patients. For example, atrial fibrillation markedly increases the risk of stroke, and heart failure is linked to cognitive decline and dementia.

Despite these well-established connections, research and clinical practice is mainly confined to single-organ silos, limiting progress in understanding and treating complex, multisystem diseases.

The CHAIN British Heart Foundation (BHF) Multidisciplinary PhD Programme aims to address this gap by fostering interdisciplinary research and training cardiovascular scientists to take an integrated approach to understanding, predicting, and disrupting the complex interactions between heart and brain diseases.

Applications for this programme will be open from Friday, 13 March 2026 until Monday, 13 April 2026.

Interested? Read or visit our website to find out more.

• Fully funded, multidisciplinary training: Receive a fully funded studentship at British Heart Foundation rate, while training across heart and brain health at three leading UK universities.
• Cross-institutional cohort experience: Train alongside a diverse cohort during an immersive first-year programme with rotations at Manchester, Bristol, and Liverpool, gaining broad skills and exposure to cutting-edge research facilities.
• Tailored, co-designed research projects: Collaborate with expert supervisors across institutions and co-design a PhD project aligned with your interests and the programme theme.
• Industry and innovation partnerships: Access placements, workshops, and collaborative projects with leading industry partners, and cutting-edge digital health companies, enhancing translational impact.
• Comprehensive professional development: Benefit from cohort-based workshops on leadership, communication, research integrity, entrepreneurship, and career planning, supported by a dedicated wellbeing and mentoring network.