Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology: PhD Studentship in Chemistry- Development of metallodrugs for use in cancer combination therapy (RS967)

Funding Providers: Cancer Research Wales 

Subject Area: Medicinal Chemistry 

Project Start Dates: October 2026 

** (Please see the note below regarding potential later start dates.) 

**In exceptional circumstances, and subject to the discretion of the University and/or the relevant funding body, a deferral of offer may be granted to the next available enrolment period. Such deferral will typically not exceed a duration of three calendar months from the originally stipulated commencement date. Please note that only one deferral may be considered, and any such deferral is not guaranteed. 

Supervisors: 

•  Dr Martin Gill 
•  Professor Gareth Jenkins 

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Chemistry  

Mode of study: Full time 

Place of study: Swansea University (Singleton Campus) 

Project description: 

Swansea University is looking for a highly motivated candidate for a PhD studentship focused on the development of metallodrugs for use in cancer combination therapy. This exciting project is funded by Cancer Research Wales and offers the opportunity to work at the interface of chemistry, biology and medicine.  

The aim is to utilise ruthenium polypyridyl chemistry developed by the Gill group (Elgar et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, James et al. Dalton Trans. 2024) to develop a potent “PARPi sensitizer” that activates PARP inhibitors (PARPi) in BRCA-proficient aggressive ovarian cancer cells. This will involve the targeted chemical design of a lead candidate PARPi sensitizer, a detailed biological analysis of derivative compounds to synergise with clinically employed PARP inhibitors, and the assessment of compound and PARPi combination safety in genotoxicity studies.  

Working in both the Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry and Genotoxicity and the In vitro Pharmacology groups at Swansea University led by Dr Martin Gill and Professor Gareth Jenkins, respectively, you will utilise inorganic chemistry to synthesise and characterise a series of “second generation” PARPi sensitizers, perform cytotoxicity assays and mechanistic studies in cancer cell lines, and asses in vitro safety and genotoxicity. This work aims to establish both the therapeutic potential and safety profile of these agents. 

You will have access to modern laboratories with state-of-the-art facilities in inorganic and analytical chemistry, including NMR, mass spectrometry, photophysical characterisation, along with cancer cell biology, including access to advanced imaging techniques.  

Experience of chemical synthesis is essential and, as the project is interdisciplinary, in-depth training in other techniques will be provided so that project goals may be achieved. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with academics and other researchers in both chemical and biological sciences will be required.  

Professional development is enhanced through workshops such as grant writing and career planning, while the Chemistry Department provides numerous outreach and teaching opportunities to improve employability. Pastoral care, counselling, and peer networks further ensure that students are well supported to achieve their research objectives and develop as independent researchers.

Note for international and European applicants: details of how your qualification compares to the published academic entry requirements can be found on our Country Specific Entry Requirements page. 

PhD: Applicants for PhD must hold an undergraduate degree at 2.1 level in chemistry or a related subject, or a master’s degree with a minimum overall grade at ‘Merit’ in chemistry or a related subject (or non-UK equivalent as defined by Swansea University). 

English Language 

IELTS 6.0 Overall (with no individual component below 5.5) or Swansea University recognised equivalent. Full details of our English Language policy, including certificate time validity, can be found here. 

Due to funding restrictions, this scholarship is open to applicants eligible to pay tuition fees at the UK rate only, as defined by UKCISA (Full list of categories for HE in Wales) 

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend at UKRI rate (currently £21,805 for 2026/27). 

A generous Research training support grant will also be available. 

To apply, please complete the entire application form here. 

To be considered for this scholarship award the following steps are also required.  

1) In section ‘Programme Related Information’ please input the relevant RS Code for the scholarship award i.e. RS967 

2) In section ‘Research’ you will see ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’* (Mandatory)  

• In ‘Proposed project title/studentship title’ please input: 

• the RS Code, RS967 
• the scholarship title  

• Please leave Proposed Supervisor field blank  

• Please leave Research Project (if applicable) blank  

• In ‘Do you have a proposal to upload? *’(Mandatory) Please select Yes  

• Then upload copy of advert (you can save the advert by clicking print, and then print to pdf) 

3) In section ‘Funding information’ please choose the option ‘Scholarship Funding’ only. Please ensure no other options are selected.  

*It is the responsibility of the applicant to list the above information accurately when applying, please note that applications received without the above information listed will not be considered for the scholarship award.  

If you’ve previously applied for this programme, the system will display an “Application Submitted” warning and block a new submission. In this case:   

1. Apply for the same course with the next available start date (e.g., select January if October is unavailable).  
2. Email pgrscholarships@swansea.ac.uk with your student number and the relevant scholarship RS code, requesting the start date be amended to match the advert.  
3. Admissions staff will then update your application accordingly. 

Important: If you have previously applied for the same programme & intake, do not re‑apply using a different email address. Applications submitted with an email address that differs from the one used in your original application will not be accepted or considered.  

One application is required per individual Swansea University led research scholarship award; applications cannot be considered listing multiple Swansea University led research scholarship awards.  

NOTE: Applicants for PhD/EngD/ProfD/EdD - to support our commitment to providing an environment free of discrimination and celebrating diversity at Swansea University you are required to complete an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Monitoring Form in addition to your programme application form.    

Please note that completion of the EDI Monitoring Form is mandatory; your application may not progress if this information is not submitted. 

As part of your online application, you MUST upload the following documents (please do not send these via email):  

• CV 

• Degree certificates and transcripts (if you are currently studying for a degree, screenshots of your grades to date are sufficient)  

• A cover letter including a ‘Supplementary Personal Statement’ to explain why the position particularly matches your skills and experience and how you choose to develop the project.  

• One reference (academic or previous employer) on headed paper or using the Swansea University reference form. Please note that we are not able to accept references received citing private email accounts, e.g. Hotmail. Referees should cite their employment email address for verification of reference.  

• Evidence of meeting English Language requirement (if applicable - please note that you do not need to hold a valid English Language test at time of application, as any offer made can be conditional upon the appropriate level of English. Please find further information on what we can accept via our English Language policy pages here).  

• Copy of UK resident visa (if applicable)  

• Confirmation of EDI form submission 

Informal enquiries are welcome; please contact:  

NAME: Dr Martin Gill 

EMAIL: m.r.gill@swansea.ac.uk 

*External Partner Application Data Sharing – Please note that as part of the scholarship application selection process, application data sharing may occur with external partners outside of the University, when joint/co- funding of a scholarship project is applicable.