Northern universities secure UKRI funding for medical research
Posted on Friday 2 October 2026
The DiMeN-XL Doctoral Landscape Award will recruit and train a cohort of 25 new researchers each year working on diseases associated with health inequity; infection and immunity; advanced therapies, and will run for three years from October 2027.
York has been part of the DiMeN programme since 2022. The DiMeN doctoral training programme, is now in its 10th year and the latest MRC Doctoral Landscape Award was confirmed in September 2026.
Boost
Professor David Kent, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of York, says: “Securing this MRC investment is a tremendous boost to the research excellence and collective strength across our region. By combining our world-class facilities and multi-disciplinary expertise, the DiMen-XL will empower the next generation of biomedical scientists to address some of the most pressing global health challenges. We are excited to expand our collaboration with regional partners and look forward to accelerating the growth of biomedical research in the North.”
The DiMeN-XL partnership of the universities of York, Sheffield, Leeds, Newcastle and Durham will recruit students to work on PhD projects within its strategic research themes of:
- Multifactorial diseases associated with health inequity
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation
- Translation of discovery science to advanced therapies and healthtech innovation
York and each of its DiMeN-XL partner universities will welcome four MRC-funded PhD students each year of the three-year project, plus one additional place funded by each institution each year.
Collaborative
The researchers will work with businesses, NHS organisations, charities and public sector partners through placements, collaborative projects and specialist training.
Professor Paul Wakeling, Dean of the York Graduate Research School, University of York. said: “We are delighted that this new MRC investment in doctoral training will further enhance the excellent foundations we already have at the University of York and our wider region for biomedical research training.
“We look forward to welcoming new postgraduate researchers focusing on topics including immunity, infection and advanced therapies to our thriving community of more than 1,200 research students.”
The first researchers supported through the awards are expected to be recruited from later this year, ahead of starting their PhDs in October 2027.