A PhD is a three to four year research-intensive programme resulting in an original piece of research and thesis. Research in the Department covers a variety of areas and involves collaborations with several departments at Imperial, as well as leading national and international research institutions. Core research areas include biomechanics and mechanobiology, detection, devices, design, implants and regenerative medicine, molecular and cellular bioengineering, neural engineering and human and biological robotics. Please see further details below.

Our PhD students are encouraged to interact with researchers working in different areas and are commonly co-supervised by academics from other departments. Such interdisciplinary training fosters the intellectual capabilities and practical skills needed to cooperate with engineers, clinicians and scientists from a variety of academic backgrounds.  

Themes - Structure

Our research themes

Research in the Department covers a variety of areas and involves collaborations with several departments at Imperial, as well as leading national and international research institutions. Core research areas include biomechanics and mechanobiology, detection, devices, design, implants and regenerative medicine, molecular and cellular bioengineering, neural engineering and human and biological robotics.

Our research themes

PhD programme structure

The PhD in Bioengineering is a research degree awarded on the basis of the thesis submitted, and typically takes three or four years to complete. Our PhD training aims to provide students with a qualification of international standing that is suited for an industrial or academic career. To achieve this, we complement work on the research project with three further elements of training: a) Departmental seminars, b) Interdisciplinary research networking events and c) a variety of courses offered by the College’s Graduate School.

The PhD milestones

Enterprising students

Many students and members of our Department are counted amongst the most promising young innovators and entrepreneurs. The Department and Imperial College offer many ways of support and opportunities:
• Accelerate
• Imperial Enterprise Lab
• WE Innovate
• Venture Catalyst Challenge

Enterprising pages

The Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI)

In October 2024, the Graduate School staff and Postdoc and Fellows Development Centre staff formed a single institute that supports the provision of excellent postgraduate education and enhances the postgraduate student experience at Imperial College London. 

The Early Career Research Institute (ECRI) is a centralised hub for early career researchers and those who support them which delivers inclusive and comprehensive support. The ECRI aims to create a collaborative and dynamic environment that drives discovery and addresses the urgent challenges of the 21st century by attracting, nurturing and empowering the next generation of outstanding Science, technology, Engineering, Medicine, and Business (STEMB) research talent.