Available

Project number:

2025_A04

Start date:

October 2025

Project themes:

Omics and Bioinformatics, Imaging, AI, Machine Learning, and Multimodal Data

Main supervisor:

Reader in Developmental Genetics

Co-supervisor:

Dr. Malay Singh (Main, BII, A*STAR)Professor Hwee Kuan Lee (Co-supervisor, BII, A*STAR)

Predicting muscle stem cell function from molecular profiling of tissues using an AI deep learning model

Deep learning tools offer the opportunity to make predictions about complex biological outcomes that cannot be easily extrapolated from experimental manipulations. The goal of this project is to build an AI model that can make predictions about the molecular regulators of muscle stem cells using information about cell behaviour. Muscle weakness in ageing and disease is a costly and debilitating condition that affects quality of life and independent living for many people. Identifying interventions that can enhance muscle function by improving muscle stem cell (muSC) would be greatly beneficial across a wide range of conditions. Cell behaviour offers a rich, spatiotemporal readout of tissue biology that can potentially offer more informative data for predicting outcomes in response to a perturbation and so will form the basis for designing a novel model to predict regulators of muSC function. Models will be developed from time-lapsed videos of muscle stem cells responding to injury, and from spatial maps of gene expression generated from a zebrafish model of regeneration. Deep learning models using computer vision approaches will be developed using time-lapsed movies as input and trained using spatial gene expression as labels. The resultant deep learning model will be used to predict spatial gene expression given a time-lapsed video of cell behaviour. This project builds on the expertise of the Knight and Lee groups in cell and tissue biology, spatial transcriptomics and deep learning this project offers a unique opportunity to explore the utility of AI models for investigating a challenging area of health.

 

We are now accepting applications for 1 October 2025

How to apply - A*STAR projects

Candidates should possess or be expected to achieve a 1st or upper 2nd class degree in a relevant subject including the biosciences, computer science, mathematics, statistics, data science, chemistry, physics, and be enthusiastic about combining their expertise with other disciplines in the field of healthcare.


Important information for International Students:

It is the responsibility of the student to apply for their Student Visa. Please note that the EPSRC DRIVE-Health studentship does not cover the visa application fees or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) required for access to the National Health Service. The IHS is mandatory for anyone entering the UK on a Student Visa and is currently £776 per year for each year of study. Further detail can be found under the International Students tab below.


Application closing date: 30 January 2025 (23:59 BST)

Create an account with King’s Apply.


Apply to the EPSRC DRIVE-Health: Centre for Doctoral Training in Data-Driven Health MPhil/PhD (Full-time).


Please ensure you read the information carefully on this page, particularly relating to Personal Statement and Supporting Information below. 


The A*STAR application process is the same as the usual DRIVE-Health programme. Each applicant can nominate up to 3 projects on their application, from any of our main projects and/or these A*STAR projects.


Complete the following sections of the application with all the relevant information.


A PDF copy of your CV should be uploaded to the Employment History section.

A 500-word personal statement outlining your motivation for undertaking postgraduate research with the CDT should be uploaded to the Supporting Statement section.

Please nominate up to 3 projects quoting their project number and title.

Please choose Option 5 "I am applying for a funding award or scholarship administered by King’s College London" in the funding section.

Under "Award Scheme Code or Name" enter "EPSRC DRIVE-Health 2025".

Failing to include one of these codes might result in you not being considered for funding.

Questions marked * are mandatory and you will not be able to submit without answering.


Non-EU international applicants are advised that ATAS may be required. While there is no charge to apply for ATAS, processing can take up to 3 months. Please read the Important Information for International Students.

Apply Now

Enhanced Studentships to Attract Top Talent

Each studentship is fully funded for 4 years.


This includes tuition fees, a stipend and a generous allowance for project consumables.


Tuition Fees: these will be covered for both Home and International students.


Stipend: Whilst at King's College London students will receive a tax-free living allowance of £23,814 per year (current projection for Academic Year 2025/26).


Whilst at A*STAR, several allowances will be provided to cover housing, monthly stipend, etc. and these amounts will be confirmed in due course. Conference allowance; medical insurance; miscellaneous research costs of the PhD work are covered by the A*STAR Research Entities.


Research Training Support Grant (RTSG): up to £20,000 over 4 years for research consumables and attending national and international conferences.

Important Information for International Students

It is the responsibility of the student to apply for their Student Visa.


Please note that the EPSRC DRIVE-Health studentship does not cover the visa application fees or the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) required for access to the National Health Service. The IHS is mandatory for anyone entering the UK on a Student Visa and is currently £776 per year for each year of study.

 

Additionally, depending on your chosen project, some nationals may need to apply for an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate prior to applying for a visa. The ATAS application process can take up to 3 months and so it is essential that you apply for this early. Please note the following:

 

• If you need to apply for a student visa, you cannot submit your visa application until your ATAS certificate has been issued.

• If you are applying for any other visa, you cannot enrol at King’s and start your programme unless your ATAS certificate has been issued.

• If you apply late, you may not be able to join on the expected entry point and your registration may be postponed

 

Please review the following article for further information on the ATAS certificate and how to apply: label="" type="url" target="_blank" href="https://self-service.kcl.ac.uk/article/KA-01847/en-us" data-runtime-url="https://self-service.kcl.ac.uk/article/KA-01847/en-us">Do I need ATAS clearance before I start my course at King's? 

 

For further advice, please contact the Visas & International Student Advice as soon as possible.


Academic Requirements and Eligibility

We welcome eligible Home and International applicants from any personal background who are pleased to join diverse and friendly research groups.

Open to Home and International applicants.

Applicable level of study: Postgraduate research.

English Language Requirements (Band D)

Based on the IELTS test scoring system, this programme requires that successful candidates achieve the following level of English before enrolling. Successful applicants’ offer letters will include information about when they must have achieved this standard.

Overall: 6.5

Listening: 6 

Speaking: 6 

Reading: 6 

Writing: 6


Visit our admissions webpages to view our English language entry requirements.

Key dates - A*STAR projects


  1. Applications submitted by the closing date of Thursday 30 January 2025 will be considered by the CDT. We will contact shortlisted applicants with information about this part of the recruitment process.
  2. Candidates will be invited to attend interview(s). Interviews are projected to take place in March 2025.
  3. Project selection will be through a panel interview chaired by CDT Directors at EPSRC DRIVE-Health and relevant supervisors from A*STAR Institute followed by informal discussion with prospective supervisors.
  4. Successful candidates are required to accept their conditional places by 14 April 2025.
  5. If you have any questions related to the specific project you are applying for, please contact the main supervisor of the project directly.


For any other questions about the recruitment process, please email us at drive-health-cdt@kcl.ac.uk.