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The Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases (WCARD) is part of the Division of Neuroscience within the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN). Research in the WCARD focuses on the maintenance of a healthy nervous system during aging, by understanding how its activity changes during damage to nerves and the surrounding tissues, and investigating new techniques to repair damaged neurons. Our long-term goal is to improve the quality of life of patients affected by lifelong and age-related diseases of the nervous system. Our research is geared towards i) understanding physiological and molecular mechanisms that drive disease conditions and ii) harness our scientific knowledge to develop new therapeutic strategies to restore normal sensory function and to better repair injury.
Currently, our 4 major research themes are:
1). Chronic Pain: Delineating new pathways and mechanisms of chronic pain to allow us to identify innovative targets in neurons and non-neuronal cell.
2). Regeneration: Aiming to restore function after CNS injury by developing regenerative therapies that target the ongoing inflammation and glial scar to facilitate endogenous repair mechanisms.
3). Hearing: Studying the genetics of age-related hearing loss in humans and mice to understand the pathological mechanisms that drive this process.
4). Migraine: Delineating the underlying mechanisms and novel therapeutic targets for migraine and related primary headache disorders from bench to bedside and back.
Researchers in all 4 themes are actively seeking PhD students to join their projects.
We specialise in using electrophysiology and imaging techniques (e.g. patch-clamp; fMRI/micro-PET; genetic indicators of neuronal activity; in situ hybridization; in-vivo electrophysiology) with sequencing and bioinformatics (e.g. RNAseq, microarray, machine learning) on translational models of human disease (e.g. neuropathic pain, migraine, stroke, spinal cord injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, arthritis, fibromyalgia) to better understand disease processes. The results of these studies then inform a drug discovery process to develop innovative therapeutics.
Key benefits
Over the last two decades, there have been tremendous advances in our understanding of the molecules and principles that govern the functioning of the nervous system. Great progress has been made to understand the molecular basis of disease states and pain, and the molecular mechanisms that limit regeneration. These advances enable innovative neuroscience and the opportunity to translate new knowledge into clinical benefits
Our mission is to:
Our PhD students are an essential part of our research work, but every project and every studentship is different. A list of publications, research grants and researchers from the Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases can be found here.
UK Tuition Fees 2023/24
Full time tuition fees: £7,500 per year
Part time tuition fees: £3,750 per year
International Tuition Fees 2023/24
Full time tuition fees: £28,260 per year
Part time tuition fees: £14,130 per year
UK Tuition Fees 2024/25
Full time tuition fees: £7,950 per year
Part time tuition fees: £3,975 per year
International Tuition Fees 2024/25
Full time tuition fees: £30,240 per year
Part time tuition fees: £15,120 per year
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.
The Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, and the Institute of Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience are based at the riverside Guy's Campus, next to the Shard.
Students work alongside staff researchers, are supervised by two members of academic staff and overseen by a divisional research co-ordinator. Students' progress is monitored closely and reported on every six months.
All students are regularly notified about skills development opportunities through a monthly Postgraduate Research Newsletter.
Of the last 20 PhD students who left the Wolfson CARD, all finished their PhDs within the allotted time and either carried on as an early career researcher (postdoctoral research associates and fellows: 57%), continued in scientific careers beyond academia (38%) or found a career outside science (5%). Of those that chose to continue as a postdoctoral academic researcher, 75% stayed at UK university, and 25% went to a non-UK university.
Professor Elizabeth Bradbury
Professor Susan Duty
For any additional queries regarding application and project approval procedures please contact
Education Support Team: ioppn.pgr@kcl.ac.uk
Admissions Tutor: Kirsty Bannister - kirsty.bannister@kcl.ac.uk
UK Tuition Fees 2023/24
Full time tuition fees: £7,500 per year
Part time tuition fees: £3,750 per year
International Tuition Fees 2023/24
Full time tuition fees: £28,260 per year
Part time tuition fees: £14,130 per year
UK Tuition Fees 2024/25
Full time tuition fees: £7,950 per year
Part time tuition fees: £3,975 per year
International Tuition Fees 2024/25
Full time tuition fees: £30,240 per year
Part time tuition fees: £15,120 per year
These tuition fees may be subject to additional increases in subsequent years of study, in line with King's terms and conditions.
The Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences, and the Institute of Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience are based at the riverside Guy's Campus, next to the Shard.
Students work alongside staff researchers, are supervised by two members of academic staff and overseen by a divisional research co-ordinator. Students' progress is monitored closely and reported on every six months.
All students are regularly notified about skills development opportunities through a monthly Postgraduate Research Newsletter.
Of the last 20 PhD students who left the Wolfson CARD, all finished their PhDs within the allotted time and either carried on as an early career researcher (postdoctoral research associates and fellows: 57%), continued in scientific careers beyond academia (38%) or found a career outside science (5%). Of those that chose to continue as a postdoctoral academic researcher, 75% stayed at UK university, and 25% went to a non-UK university.
Professor Elizabeth Bradbury
Professor Susan Duty
For any additional queries regarding application and project approval procedures please contact
Education Support Team: ioppn.pgr@kcl.ac.uk
Admissions Tutor: Kirsty Bannister - kirsty.bannister@kcl.ac.uk
Search through a list of available supervisors.
For any additional queries regarding application and project approval procedures please contact Education Support Team: ioppn.pgr@kcl.ac.uk Admissions Tutor: Kirsty Bannister - kirsty.bannister@kcl.ac.uk
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