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Biophysical Sciences Institute
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Undergraduate Summer Research Bursaries

Our Summer Research Bursaries support excellent undergraduate students from Durham University to take part in boundary-breaking interdisciplinary research during the summer vacation. 

Summer Research Bursaries

What is in it for Undergraduates?  

BSI Summer Bursaries have been awarded since 2011 and in that time we have awarded 100 bursaries, as well as supporting many students who have received external funding. Many of the students who have taken part in these projects have gone on to PhDs, PDRAs and beyond. Alumni of this scheme hold academic positions at institutions across the world and senior positions in Industry. 

Our scheme includes activities that promote the development of research and communication skills. These will be evidenced through news items on the BSI website and through this page, providing a resource to refer to for prospective employers. 

  • Gain hands-on experience

    “The studentship allowed me to find out what scientific research is really like day-to-day and confirmed to me that a research career is something that I would like to pursue.” 2019 Summer Internship holder.
    students smiling and chatting while working on laptops

  • Develop key skills desired by employers

    “Working as part of a larger team and attending talks helped me to understand the importance of an interdisciplinary environment, where individuals with differing specialties work together to achieve a common goal.” 2019 Summer Internship holder.
    Two female students studying

Gain hands-on experience

“The studentship allowed me to find out what scientific research is really like day-to-day and confirmed to me that a research career is something that I would like to pursue.” 2019 Summer Internship holder.
students smiling and chatting while working on laptops

Develop key skills desired by employers

“Working as part of a larger team and attending talks helped me to understand the importance of an interdisciplinary environment, where individuals with differing specialties work together to achieve a common goal.” 2019 Summer Internship holder.
Two female students studying

Examples of Potential Projects 

Below are a few indicative project titles. These illustrate the types of topics that are available, other potential supervisors will be able to suggest titles in their areas of research. Get in touch with us if you would like help to link up with a potential supervisor. 

Deep Generative Models for BioMedical Imaging and Analysis. Supervisor: Dr Jingjing Deng, Department of Computer Science. 

Live imaging of transport phenomena in ciliated systems and Modelling the embryonic heart. Supervisor: Dr Francesco Boselli, Department of Biosciences.

Redox-driven active transport. Supervisor: Dr Stefan Borsley, Department of Chemistry. 

Too greedy to survive: Tricking cancer cells to eat drug-loaded vesicles. Supervisors: Dr Margarita Staykova, Department of Physics and Dr Patricia Muller, Department of Biosciences.  

Using bacteria to build chemotactic robots. Supervisors: Dr Margarita Staykova, Department of Physics and Dr Gary Sharples Department of Biosciences.

Using machine learning to predict physiological responses: Working with cardiovascular data to create a machine learning model that predicts specific physiological responses. Supervisor: Dr Jonathon McPhetres, Department of Psychology.

 

BSI Summer Research Bursaries

What is in it for Supervisors? 

The 2025-26 Bursary scheme focuses on building new links and collaborations between academic groups, particularly in new areas of research. Projects can be between academics in Durham, or external colleagues and industrial partners. 

Forming new research collaborations

Our 2022 project supervisors reported that all bursary projects had led to further research in their host groups
Network Connections Image

New research directions

2/3 Of our 2022 cohort's projects supported funding applications in their host groups.
Scrabble tiles showing the word research

External Undergraduate Summer Research Bursary Schemes 

Undergraduate Research Bursaries https://www.rsc.org/prizes-funding/funding/undergraduate-research-bursaries/

 

Biochemical Society Summer Vacation Studentships https://biochemistry.org/grants-and-awards/grants-and-bursaries/summer-vacation-studentships/

 

BSRA Summer Studentship Grants - BSRA

 

Experimental Psychology Society Undergraduate Research Bursary – Experimental Psychology Society

 

IPLS Undergraduate Summer Research Studentships 2025: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/physics-living-systems/training/ipls-undergraduate-summer-research-studentships-2025

 

Undergraduate Research Assistantship Scheme Undergraduate Research Assistantship Scheme | BPS

 

British Society for Cell Biology (BSCB) Summer Studentships https://bscb.org/competitions-awardsgrants/studentships/   

 

Society for the Study of Human Biology (SSHB) SSHB | Undergraduate Research Bursary Scheme - SSHB

 

Black in Plant Science (BiPS) Summer Studentships Black in Plant Science Summer Studentship 2025 – Black in Plant Science

 

Royal Microscopical Society Summer Studentships https://www.rms.org.uk/study-read/summer-studentships.html

 

Genetic Society Summer Studentship Summer Studentship | Genetics Society

 

Gurdon/The Company of Biologists Summer Studentships Gurdon/The Company of Biologists Summer Studentships - BSDB - British Society for Developmental Biology

 

Sainsbury Laboratory Summer Research Projects: Summer research projects | Sainsbury Laboratory