Why study a PhD with us?

Study for a PhD in biomedical engineering and develop your engineering skills and knowledge to address important healthcare challenges.

Our work spans cybernetics, consumer electronics, computing, robotics, artificial intelligence, medical physics, and neuroscience, and we are engaged in numerous interdisciplinary and international collaborations.

Interdisciplinary links

Although you’ll be based in the School of Biological Sciences, you’ll benefit from our strong links with the School of Chemistry, Food and Pharmacy and the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences.

Our research also benefits from national and international interdisciplinary collaborations.

Flexible modes of study to suit you

We offer flexible modes of study designed to fit with your needs. Our PhD is available for study on a full-time basis over three years and part-time over four to six years.

Both full-time and part-time variants are available for study in Reading, or at a distance for students who live outside the UK.

Explore our PhD opportunities

Conduct fascinating research

Our division within the School of Biological Sciences offers PhD degrees in biomedical engineering, cybernetics and electronic engineering.

Our research covers topics such as healthcare and rehabilitation technologies, systems neuroscience and neural engineering, human-machine interaction, sensors, and instrumentation for biological measurement.

Learn more about our research and research themes

I was fascinated by the multidisciplinary and cutting-edge research conducted at Reading.

Maitreyee Wairagkar,

PhD student

Read Maitreyee's story

Facilities and resources

Excellent research centres

Our research centres offer excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary training:

The Centre for Integrative Neuroscience and Neurodynamics houses a research-dedicated MRI scanner and MRI-compatible TMS, EEG/ERP, and thermal stimulator for use in pain research.
The Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research incorporates human imaging facilities and advanced microscopy suites purpose-built for biomedical research.
The Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health undertakes a range of research in areas such as cardiometabolic health, brain health, and food processing.

Purpose-built research facilities

You’ll have access to our:

electrophysiology laboratory
range of virtual reality and haptic interfaces
optically pumped far-infrared laser
terahertz spectrometer
cardiovascular imaging facility, which houses a human imaging suite
Brain Embodiment Laboratory, a facility that enables research at the interface of engineering, neuroscience and cognition (including culturing of biological neurons and brain-computer interfaces).

Learn more about our facilities

Doctoral training to help you grow as an academic

Training is an intrinsic part of your development as a researcher. As part of your PhD study, you will benefit from a programme of relevant training, and have access to specialist modules agreed between you and your supervisor/s as well as attending a programme of transferable skills organised by the Doctoral and Researcher College.

You will have access to expert training on the Reading Researcher Development Programme (RRDP).

Depending on the respective funder for your PhD, further training via attendance at advanced courses, meetings and workshops may also form part of your PhD programme.

There are opportunities for participation on established research projects run by our experienced staff.

Your future career

Doctoral study offers you opportunities to make exciting new discoveries in your chosen field of interest. Our PhD degrees equip you with the skills, knowledge, and experience to become an independent researcher. You could go on to work in academia, government and the private and public sectors in the UK and abroad.