Physics of Life Student Summer Bursaries Call

One of the network’s objectives is to train and equip the next generation of scientists for this interdisciplinary field. To support this, the Physics of Life network is offering summer bursaries to undergraduates interested in pursuing multidisciplinary research projects combining physics and biology. The aim of this bursary scheme is to give motivated undergraduates the opportunity to gain experience in writing a research proposal, and with training, carry out independent research alongside established academics. Experience gained from these projects can provide invaluable skills, useful for student personal development and future employability.

The research generated from summer bursary projects can play an important role in catalysing/pump-priming research in the form of publication and larger possible PoL research grants for academics working across Physics and Biology.  

Next Call
​We currently do not have funding for a 2025 bursary scheme, however, please keep checking back on this webpage as this may change. 

Eligibility

  • Applicants should be undergraduates in the first, second, third or fourth year of any science degree. Final year students are eligible.
  • Bursaries are available to any UK/EU or international student currently studying at a UK university. 
  • Supporting academic supervisors must come from a UK university. Only one application per primary Bursary Supervisor will be accepted. 
  • Projects can be either remote or lab based.
  • Successful students must not be  in  receipt  of  financial  support  from  other  sources  to cover the project work as described. If successful, students must declare whether they have been accepted onto another bursary scheme or have received funding for the proposed project from other sources. 

Funding availability

  • Projects must be a minimum of 4 weeks. The contribution per project will be capped at £3,000. This may be spent flexibly on salary and consumables to support the project. However, note that indicatively the full salary cost for a full-time summer student employed for 37.5 hrs per week for 6 weeks on a minimum wage rate is approximately £3,000, but this may be between different Universities.  Please specify the indicative project duration in the application form.
  • Projects are intended to take place during the Summer (usually July to September).
  • The organisation and delivery of project weeks is to be organised between the student and supervisor.
  • To initiate payment the successful student applicants should notify the Physics of Life Chair [email protected] with an intended start date.

How to apply

  • The student should contact prospective supervisor(s) ahead of time and the student and supervisor(s) should develop a project and application together.
  • Projects must be interdisciplinary with life (biological and/or medical) and physical sciences components.
  • A single proposal submission should be made by the student applicant using the below online form. The amount of input will depend on both the Bursary Supervisor(s) and the applicant.
  • Once the bursary application form is submitted by the bursary applicant a copy will be sent to the nominated supervisor(s). The application will only be considered when approval has been given by the primary bursary supervisor(s).
  • Postdocs can be named as supervisors working on the assumption that they have received prior requisite permission from their own supervisor in charge of the research group.

Selection Procedure

The review committee will be composed of academics sitting on the Physics of Life Steering Group committee. The applications are each sent to members of the steering group to independently and blindly score projects on the basis of the following 4 criteria:
  • Physics/Biology crossover
  • Project Outline
  • Student's supporting Statement
  • Project feasibility within stated project length
The scores from reviewers are collated to rank order projects and marks are checked for consistency. The top ranked projects are offered funding. All applicants are notified of outcomes by email.

Other available bursary schemes

Past Summer Bursary Calls and Projects

In 2019 PoLNET2 received 35 applications and funded the top ranked 11 projects, see here: Student Summer Bursaries - Physics of Life.
In 2020 PoLNET3 opened a special, covid project call where it received 4 applications and funded 3 projects. 
In 2021, PoLNET3 received 61 applications, the top 12 ranked projects were awarded funding (see below).
In 2022, PoLNET3 received 43 applications, the top 13 ranked projects were awarded funding (see below).
In 2023, PoLNET3 received 37 applications, the top 8 ranked projects were awarded funding (see below). 

2023

Understanding the role of viscoelasticity in DNA transcription
University of Edinburgh
Student: Supervisor: Davide Michieletto
 
Characterisation of anti-biofouling coatings for silicon photonic biosensors
University of York
Alex Pembery Supervisor Callum Silver
 
Investigating the mechanics of crosslinked vimentin networks using a novel
Durham University
Student: Abbie Davidson Supervisors: Anders and John Girkin
 
Investigation of the self-assembly of bolalipids
KCL
Student: Pedro López-Ríos Supervisor: Chris Lorenz
 
Engineering the Mechanical Properties of DNA through Investigation of Sequence-Dependent Elasticity
University of York
Student: Tania Gardasevic Supervisors: Agnes Noy and Mark Leake 
 
Effect of environmental and sample conditions on the automated preparation of blood smears for use in malaria diagnosis
Cambridge University
Student: Niamh Redmond-Sanghera Supervisor: Pietro Cicuta
 
Calibrating numerical photoacoustic forward models with experimental measurements
Cambridge University
Student: Francesca Di Cecio Supervisor: Janek Grohl
 
Hydrogel immobilisation for super-resolution imaging in live resting T-cells
Leeds University
Student: Tabitha Cox Supervisor: Aleks Ponjavic

2022

Stress dynamics in developing biofilms
University of Cambridge, Centre for Mathematical Sciences
Student: Oscar Despard Supervisor: Nuno Miguel Oliveira
 
Understanding the coupling between membrane voltage generation and pH gradient maintenance in Escherichia coli
The University of Edinburgh
Student: Diana Coroiu Supervisor: Teuta Pilizota
 
Enhancing infrared spectra of biofluids with silicon photonics
University of York
Student: Clara Peirson Supervisors: Professor Neil Hunt and Professor Thomas Krauss
 
Polymicrobial structure and stability
University of Edinburgh
Student: Frances McGinley Supervisor: Tyler Shendruk
 
Molecular physics of biomacromolecules: measuring carbohydrate size by mass photometry, University of Leeds
Student: Abhay Perazhi Supervisor: Ralf Richter
 
Modelling the dynamical behaviour of stem cells using pseudotime reconstruction algorithms, University of Bath
Student: Huy Vo Supervisor: Professor Jonathan Dawes
 
Analysis of cell cycle variability in computational models of epithelial tissue evolution
Imperial College London
Student: Aaryan Bhatia Supervisor: Dr Ruben Perez-Carrasco  
 
Modulating nuclear stiffness to prevent breast cancer cell invasion
University of Durham
Student: Emily Jessop Supervisor: Dr Akis Karakesisoglou
 
Investigating the physical principles governing cutting behaviour in leaf-cutter ants
Imperial College London
Student: Mia Yap Supervisor: David Labonte

​Dissecting the role of the C-terminal domain of SGTA in phase separation and protein aggregation by using Time Resolved Raman Spectroscopy
University of Bradford
Student: Karen Jose Supervisor: Dr Yvone Nyathi
 
Cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in the brain of living mice using single-nanoparticle tracking University of St Andrews
Student: Anna Conti Supervisor: Juan Varela
 
Liquid-liquid phase separation of proteins in confinement
University of Bristol
Student: Ben Taylor Supervisor: Professor Jennifer McManus
 
Uncovering the molecular mechanisms of protein-protecting osmolytes using neutron diffraction and computational modelling
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds
Student: Yiwei Wang Supervisor: Lorna Dougan

2021

​Viral fitness in spatial expansions: a simulation and experimental study
University of Cambridge
Student: Amy Bowen Supervisor: Diana Fusco
 
Biophysical Modelling of the Pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease
Imperial College London
Student: Alisdair Stevenson Supervisor: Chiu Fan Lee
 
Numerical modelling to test the limits of Differential Dynamic Microscopy (DDM)
University of York
Student: Alistair Hickman Supervisor: Laurence Wilson
 
The impact of environmental conditions on cell wall antimicrobial activity: study by atomic force microscopy
University of Sheffield
Student: Samirah Mostafa Chowdhury Supervisor: Laia Pasquina Lemonche
 
Habitability in the Venusian Clouds: Power Requirements for Organisms at High Acidity and Low Water Activity Environments
University of Edinburgh
Student: Sam Moylan Supervisor: Charles Cockell
 
Quantifying the emergent properties of the fibrotic extracellular matrix
KCL
Student: Anna Beltramini Supervisor: Susan Cox
 
Do the limits of DNA damage signalling confer a therapeutic vulnerability to low dose radiotherapy?
UCL
Student: Rachel Scott Supervisor: Jamie Dean
 
Understanding how Topoisomerases simplify genome topology using knot classification and Machine Learning
University of Edinburgh
Student: Joseph Sleiman Supervisor: Davide Michieletto
 
Effect of lipid oxidation on domain formation within model membranes
KCL
Student: Prashasti Tiwari Supervisor: Chris Lorenz
 
Modelling of collagen-IV networks under mechanical forces
UCL
Student: Eryk Ratajczyk Supervisor: Andela Saric
 
Temperature-dependent linear rheology of Bombyx Mori silk
University of York
Student: Robin Watkins New Supervisor: Charley Schaefer
 
Mapping molecular crowding in live eukaryotes with 3D single molecule fluorescence microscopy
University of York
Student: Lewis Frame Supervisor: Jack Shepherd

Funded by:                                                                                                 Managed bY: