The University of Exeter will play a key role in training the next generation of biomedical science leaders, after the GW4 collaboration secured an MRC Doctoral Landscape Award.
The award is led by Cardiff University, partnering with fellow GW4 Alliance universities Bristol and Bath, alongside Exeter.
It is part of a wider £90 million investment from the Medical Research Council (MRC) will fund more than 200 researchers a year through 14 MRC Doctoral Landscape Awards at universities across all four nations of the UK, for the next three years.
The GW4 BioMed MRC Doctoral Landscape Award will support 18 studentships per year for three years, covering the breadth of biomedical science from discovery to early translation, funded by the Doctoral Landscape Award.
Professor Richard Holland, Dean of the University of Exeter Medical School, said: "Training the next generation of biomedical researchers with a broad and interdisciplinary skillset is essential to realising the full potential of our research and ensuring it delivers benefits for future generations. I'm delighted with this announcement, which will build on our existing collaborations and strengthen our leadership in this exciting field"
As part of their PhDs, researchers will work with businesses, NHS organisations, charities and public sector partners through placements, collaborative projects and specialist training. These experiences will give them first-hand insight into how research is carried out in different settings and prepare them for a range of careers in the UK and globally.
Professor Emma Kidd, GW4 BioMed3 Director, said: "We are absolutely delighted that the MRC are funding the GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Awards. It builds on the hugely successful 10-year collaboration of the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter in training and developing PGR students. Our innovative new student-centred programme will have 17 external project partners to help us train, support and develop globally competitive graduates."
The GW4 BioMed3 MRC Doctoral Landscape Award partnership, led by Cardiff University, will train postgraduate research students in four main areas – neuroscience and mental health, infection, immunity and antimicrobial resistance, cardiometabolic disease, and population health sciences. The first researchers to be supported through the awards are already being recruited, ahead of starting their PhDs in October 2027.
Dr Joanna Robinson, Director of Research Talent, Skills and Careers at MRC, said: "Medical research depends on talented people."
"These awards will support doctoral researchers to develop deep scientific expertise alongside the broader capabilities needed for successful and rewarding careers across research, healthcare, industry and policy.
"By investing in researchers at the start of their careers, we are helping to strengthen the UK's medical research workforce and enable discoveries that improve lives."
Melanie Knetsch, Director of GW4, said: "The GW4 Alliance showcases the power of collaboration, bringing together the complementary strengths of Bath, Bristol, Cardiff and Exeter to create exceptional opportunities for researchers. We are proud to see continued investment in the GW4 BioMed partnership, reflecting the strength of our collaborative approach to doctoral training.
"Through access to the combined expertise, facilities, and research environments of four world-leading universities, our students are equipped to tackle complex challenges at the forefront of biomedical research and contribute solutions to some of the most significant health challenges facing society today.
