PhD Position in Real-Time Cortisol and Aldosterone Assay (DC8) at Imperial College London

A fully funded PhD position in real-time cortisol and aldosterone assay (DC8) is available at Imperial College London under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network ENDOTRAIN (Grant No. 101227148). The programme is coordinated by the University of Bergen, Norway.

This doctoral research opportunity focuses on wearable biosensors, electroanalysis, hormonal monitoring, and digital health technologies for adrenal disease diagnosis and personalised medicine.

Supervisors: Prof. Danny O’Hare and Prof. Tony Cass
Department: Bioengineering
Duration: 3 year
Start date: August 2026 (latest)
Salary: £44,284.07 – £48,796.89 per year

About ENDOTRAIN – Europe’s First Doctoral Network in Digital Endocrinology

ENDOTRAIN is a European doctoral network training the next generation of interdisciplinary researchers in:

• Digital endocrinology

• Artificial intelligence in healthcare

• Sensor technologies and wearable devices

• Omics technologies

• Clinical medicine

• Data science and biomedical engineering

• Ethics and regulatory frameworks

The programme uses adrenal disorders as a model to advance digital medicine in Europe. It integrates AI-driven diagnostics, multimodal data analytics, and human digital twin concepts to improve endocrine disease management.

PhD Project Overview: Real-Time Hormone Monitoring with Wearable Sensors

Research Theme

Work Package 2: Technologies for Multimodal Data

Core Objective

To develop minimally invasive and non-invasive wearable sensors capable of continuously measuring:

• Cortisol

• Aldosterone

• Other adrenal hormones

Scientific Challenge

Current clinical technologies lack the temporal resolution required to detect dynamic hormone fluctuations. Standard sampling methods require multiple blood draws and fail to capture real-time endocrine patterns.

Proposed Innovations

This project will adapt two complementary technologies:

1. Solid microneedle biosensors

   • Continuous measurement in interstitial fluid

   • Minimally invasive

   • Suitable for wearable applications

2. Exhaled condensed breath analysis

   • Novel, non-invasive sampling matrix

   • Enables real-time hormone detection

   • Potential for patient-friendly endocrine diagnostics

Expected Research Outcomes

• High-resolution cortisol monitoring systems

• Improved minimally and non-invasive biosensing platforms

• Better understanding of temporal hormone dynamics

• Correlation between plasma hormone levels, interstitial fluid, and exhaled breath biomarkers

International Collaboration and Secondments

The PhD candidate will participate in structured international mobility:

• Designworks (Windsor, UK) – 2 months
  Development of the U-Cort sampler

• University of Bergen – 1 month
  Clinical testing in patients and healthy volunteers

• University of Bristol – 1 month
  Sensor validation studies

This provides exposure to academic, clinical, and industrial research environments within a European innovation network.

Required Qualifications

Essential Criteria

Applicants must have:

• First-class or upper second-class honours Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in:

  • Chemistry

  • Chemical Engineering

  • Bioengineering

  • Biomedical Engineering

  • Related disciplines

• A Master’s degree (or integrated Master’s) in:

  • Analytical Chemistry

  • Electrochemistry

  • Bioinstrumentation

  • Chemical or Biomedical Engineering

• Practical experience in:

  • Wet chemistry or biochemistry laboratory techniques

  • Electroanalytical chemistry

  • Instrumental analytical techniques (LC, LC-MS, GC-MS, spectroscopy)

• Experience with open-ended research projects

• Strong interpersonal skills for collaboration with clinicians and volunteers

• Interest in wearable medical technology development

• Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams

Desirable Skills

• Laboratory-based internships (industry or academia)

• Digital signal processing

• Time-series analysis and denoising

• Microfabrication

• Analogue electronics design

Eligibility Criteria (MSCA Doctoral Network Rules)

Applicants must:

• Be of any nationality

• Not have resided or worked in the UK for more than 12 months in the last 36 months before the PhD start date

• Hold a Master’s degree enabling doctoral studies

• Not already hold a doctoral degree

• Demonstrate English proficiency

Applicants completing their Master’s degree may apply if final completion occurs before the start date.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted through the official recruitment portal.

Required documents include:

1. Application form

2. CV

3. Mobility declaration

4. Motivation letter

Applicants must upload transcripts and degree documentation in English.

Why Choose Imperial College London?

Imperial College London is consistently ranked among the world’s top universities for:

• Science

• Engineering

• Medicine

• Business

Founded in 1907, Imperial is globally recognised for high-impact research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovation-driven education. The Department of Bioengineering provides a structured PhD programme with access to advanced laboratory facilities, clinical collaborations, and global research networks.

Imperial’s research income exceeded £383 million in 2022–2023, supporting cross-disciplinary centres and global challenge institutes.

Diversity and Inclusion

ENDOTRAIN promotes gender balance and inclusive recruitment. Applications from women, individuals with immigrant backgrounds, and candidates with disabilities are strongly encouraged.

Research Keywords

PhD in Digital Endocrinology
Wearable Biosensors
Real-Time Cortisol Monitoring
Aldosterone Assay
Electrochemical Biosensing
Microneedle Sensors
Exhaled Breath Biomarkers
Biomedical Engineering PhD UK
Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network
Adrenal Disease Diagnostics

For project-related queries, contact the supervisory team at Imperial College London. For programme-related information, contact the ENDOTRAIN coordination team at the University of Bergen.

Apply now at : PhD position at at Imperial College London, UK (DC8) (291754) | University of Bergen