Next-generation ocular technologies for early disease detection and precision health

Institution and location

University of Sunderland, in collaboration with Durham University and Occuity Ltd

Award summary

This is a three-year, full-time Quinlan PhD Studentship. Funding includes UK home-rate tuition fees, a monthly stipend at the recommended UKRI rate (expected to be £21,805 per year for 2026/27), research training, a laptop, up to £3,000 research activity allowance and internships with academic or industry partners. Home students and EU students with settled or pre-settled status are eligible. Overseas students may apply but must fund the difference between home and overseas fees.

Overview

The eye provides a unique, non-invasive window into blood vessels, neural tissue and metabolic processes. Advances in imaging and optical sensing could extend beyond eye-disease diagnosis to identify biomarkers relevant to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration and healthy ageing. However, many promising technologies remain insufficiently characterised in clinical populations.

This interdisciplinary PhD, delivered through the Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation Institute and industry partner Occuity, will evaluate novel ophthalmic technologies that capture previously inaccessible biological information from the eye. . Examples of Occuity’s emerging ophthalmic technologies can be found here https://www.occuity.com/post/occuity-sd1-prototype-demonstrates-ability-to-detect-ages-in-the-eye

The project will investigate how these measurements relate to ocular and systemic health and their potential as biomarkers for disease detection, stratification and monitoring.

The student will have the opportunity to work with data and participants recruited through NHS and population-based studies and may contribute to observational and translational studies involving individuals with, or at risk of, chronic disease. Depending on the interests and expertise of the successful candidate, there will be opportunities to apply advanced analytical approaches, including statistical modelling, image analysis, machine learning, and multimodal biomarker integration.

The project will generate important evidence to support the responsible translation of next-generation ophthalmic technologies into future clinical research and healthcare settings. Ultimately, this work aims to support earlier disease detection, personalised prevention, and improved health outcomes.

The student will join NORI's interdisciplinary environment spanning academia, healthcare and industry, with training in health data science, artificial intelligence and research translation. The project aims to support earlier disease detection, personalised prevention and improved health outcomes.

As a PhD researcher with NORI, you can:

• Undertake interdisciplinary research in health data sciences.
• Collaborate between the Universities of Sunderland and Durham, and Occuity Ltd, and civic and industry partners.
• Be part of a diverse and active cohort working on and learning about health data sciences through research.
• Complete research-in-practice internships with academic, civic, and industrial partners.
• Receive state-of-the-art training in data analysis, artificial intelligence, and research translation.
• Work on, and advocate for, health data science solutions to problems and topics important to you.
• Engage with a global field through exchange opportunities with leading health data science research groups.

The engineering and health sciences are stronger if people from diverse backgrounds and disciplines and with a wide range of interests are involved in developing the field. Whether or not you ‘fit’ existing expectations of who a health scientist is, you can bring new knowledge, perspectives, priorities, causes, and ideas to the field, to apply and inform health data science.

This innovative, interdisciplinary PhD programme is a collaboration between academics from across the Universities of Sunderland and Durham,and Occuity Ltd. Students will be based at the University of Sunderland, the host organisation of NORI, but working in close partnership and collaboration with Durham University and Occuity Ltd.

With an emphasis on research at the forefront of practice, NORI brings diverse specialists with a breadth of expertise that will enable you to develop a thematic lens to health data sciences that is aligned to your unique interests.

Number of awards

One

Start date

March 2027

Award duration

3.5 years, full time

Application closing date

To be confirmed

Sponsors

Northern Ophthalmic Research and Innovation Institute - Quinlan Studentship

Name of supervisors

Professor Matthew Campbell and Professor David Steel, University of Sunderland; Dr Alistair Bounds, Occuity Ltd

Eligibility criteria

All applicants must have or expect to obtain a first-class or higher second-class honours degree, or equivalent, in a relevant STEM subject involving some work with health data analytics.

Applicants with higher second-class honours degree or equivalent, must meet one of the following criteria at the time of application:

• Have or expect to obtain a Master’s degree and have submitted two professional or academic references at the time of application, which should cover your role on a research project.
• Have a minimum of 2 to 5-years full-time, or equivalent, relevant professional work experience and have submitted two professional or academic reference at the time of application, which should cover your role on a research project.

If English is not your first language, you will need a British Council International English Language Testing System (IELTS) overall score of 6.5, with at least 6.0 in each component.

How to apply

Applications should include a full academic CV, two academic or professional references, degree certificates and transcripts, and a supporting statement of no more than two pages. The statement should explain your motivation for joining NORI and how your research experience, techniques and skills make you a strong candidate. Applications should be emailed to NORI@sunderland.ac.uk, with the full project title in the subject line.

Contact details

Informal enquiries about the research or NORI prior to application are encouraged and can be directed to NORI Director Professor Matthew Campbell via NORI@sunderland.ac.uk

Additional information

We will be offering a pre-application support workshop for candidates who wish to apply for one of our PhD studentships.

Thursday 15 October 9.30am until 11am (in person at Darlington University campus, exact location TBC) Please complete form if interested:- NIHR ARC: NENC PhD Pre-Application Workshop Registration (in-person) – Fill in form

Closing Date: 09 Oct 2026

Team: Research