The AI for Antibody and Protein Design PhD Studentship 2026 at Imperial College London provides a fully funded doctoral research opportunity in machine learning, computational biology, and protein engineering. The project focuses on developing advanced AI systems to design therapeutic antibodies and protein sequences with improved efficiency and accuracy.
Imperial College London offers this studentship to support cutting-edge research at the intersection of artificial intelligence and biomedical science.
About the AI for Antibody and Protein Design PhD Studentship
The AI for Antibody and Protein Design Studentship supports a full-time PhD project in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London.
The project:
- Awards 1 fully funded PhD position
- Starts in the 2026/27 academic year
- Focuses on AI-driven protein and antibody design
The research develops modern AI methods such as:
- Foundation models
- Active learning systems
- Multi-objective optimisation
- Interpretable machine learning approaches
Students work with experimental datasets and modern machine learning frameworks in a collaborative research environment.
Applicants must contact the supervisor directly for consideration.
Why Choose The AI for Antibody and Protein Design PhD Studentship?
This studentship allows students to contribute to breakthrough research in AI-driven drug discovery and protein engineering.
At Imperial College London, researchers gain:
- Training in machine learning and computational biology
- Experience with real biological datasets
- Access to world-class research facilities
- Collaboration across engineering, biology, and AI fields
The project prepares students for careers in AI research, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and computational biology.
AI for Antibody and Protein Design PhD Studentship Summary
- Host Country: United Kingdom
- Host University: Imperial College London
- Scholarship Name: AI for Antibody and Protein Design PhD Studentship
- Study Level: Doctoral (PhD)
- Funding Type: Fully funded
- Coverage Includes: Full PhD funding (tuition + stipend implied)
- Number of Awards: 1
- Department: Chemical Engineering
- Study Mode: Full-time
- Eligible Applicants: Home and Overseas students
- Start Date: 2026/27 intake
- Application Method: Direct contact with supervisor
- Selection Basis: Academic background, coding ability, and research interest
Studentship Benefits
The AI for Antibody and Protein Design PhD Studentship provides:
- Full funding for PhD study
- Training in AI, machine learning, and computational biology
- Access to advanced research datasets
- Experience with modern ML frameworks
- Opportunity to publish research in high-impact journals
- Strong interdisciplinary mentorship and collaboration
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Show strong interest in coding (Python) and quantitative analysis
- Demonstrate motivation to apply machine learning to biological systems
- Prior experience in machine learning is beneficial but not essential
- Apply for a PhD in the Department of Chemical Engineering
- Not be a continuing Imperial PhD student
Required Documents
Applicants must prepare:
- PhD application documents (CV, transcripts, etc.)
- Academic degree certificates
- Statement of research interest
- Programming or ML-related experience (if available)
- Contact with supervisor ([email protected])
- Any additional documents requested by the department
Application Process & Timeline
Follow these steps:
- Identify interest in the AI for Antibody and Protein Design PhD project.
- Contact the supervisor (Professor Pietro Sormanni) via email.
- Discuss your research background and suitability.
- Submit a formal PhD application to Imperial College London.
- Provide academic and technical documents.
- Be shortlisted based on research fit and academic excellence.
- Receive the final selection decision from the department.
