New EIT-funded Generative Biology Doctoral Training Programme Launches at the University of Oxford

The University of Oxford, in partnership with the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT), plans to launch the Generative Biology Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) - a four-year DPhil designed to allow the next generation of researchers to explore how to synthesize the DNA sequences of organisms to program and engineer biology.

Fully funded by EIT, the programme will be hosted by Oxford’s Department of Chemistry and involves academics from across the Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division (MPLS) and the Medical Sciences Division. It offers a unique interdisciplinary environment where students will undertake original doctoral research at the cutting edge of generative biology.

The Generative Biology DTP will be a flagship initiative within the long-term strategic alliance between EIT and the University of Oxford. Together, Oxford and EIT aim to foster innovation, train future leaders, and develop transformative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity.

The programme will be directed by Professor Jason Chin, Director of EIT’s Generative Biology Institute (GBI) and Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at the University of Oxford. The majority of participants will be based at GBI’s lab in the Oxford Science Park, benefiting from joint supervision by Oxford academics and EIT scientists and state-of-the-art facilities.

Professor Chin said: “Biology naturally performs an extraordinary array of functions, and if we can learn to reliably engineer it, we could unlock powerful solutions to some of the world’s most enduring challenges. The Generative Biology Doctoral Training Programme is an invitation to top global talent to contribute to reaching that goal through a fully-funded doctoral programme.”

The research themes within the DTP will focus on the fundamentals of generative biology, reflecting the breadth and depth of expertise within the supervisory pool - drawn from both EIT and Oxford investigators. Projects are expected to tackle key challenges in making biology engineerable, with particular focus on:

1. Understanding how to write in the natural language of biology, and

2. Predicting how DNA sequences generate biological systems that perform desired functions.

From the outset, students will begin working on their research projects within the laboratory of their supervisor(s), developing their technical and analytical skills through hands-on learning. Students will have access to Oxford’s wide range of lecture courses and training modules, helping them to deepen their academic and methodological expertise.

Alongside their research, students will have the opportunity to participate in cohort-wide training designed to build transferable skills essential for both academic and non-academic careers. Leadership and innovation training, provided by EIT, will be available throughout the programme, allowing students to tailor this development to their research trajectory.

The first cohort will begin in 2026 with an initial intake of 10 students, with plans to expand to 100 students in total across five cohorts.

Learn more about Education & Scholarship opportunities at EIT.

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