Northern Ireland has secured one of 14 prestigious Medical Research Council (MRC) doctoral awards across the UK, bringing a multi-million-pound investment to the region to to train scientists who will drive next generation drug discovery, pharmaceutical innovation and clinical translation.
Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast to deliver the new Northern Ireland Advanced Drug and Pharmaceutical Translation Programme (NI-ADAPT), which will train PhD researchers to help turn scientific discoveries into new medicines, treatments and healthcare solutions.
Led by Queen’s University Belfast in partnership with Ulster University, NI-ADAPT will welcome its first students to the four-year programme in October 2027.
The award forms part of a £90 million MRC investment supporting more than 200 doctoral researchers annually across the UK for the next three years.
What will the NI-ADAPT programme bring to Northern Ireland?
Professor Chris McConville, Professor of Biomedical Innovation at Ulster University and Deputy Director of the NI-ADAPT MRC Doctoral Landscape Award, said:
“This investment gives Ulster University and Queen’s a valuable opportunity to train researchers together, strengthen Northern Ireland’s life-sciences workforce and help more research reach patients.
“Working alongside Queen’s, healthcare and industry partners, we will develop researchers with the scientific ambition and practical skills to tackle pressing health challenges and strengthen Northern Ireland’s growing life-sciences sector.”
How will NI-ADAPT train the next generation of life-sciences researchers?
NI-ADAPT will equip researchers to bridge a critical gap between scientific discovery and clinical application. Students will combine disease biology and pharmaceutical science with artificial intelligence, advanced drug delivery, data analytics, regulation and commercialisation, preparing them to work across research, healthcare and industry.
Their research will target four major areas of unmet health need: cancer, infection and antimicrobial resistance, lung disease and vision loss. Students will also undertake placements with a series of partners, gaining direct experience of translating laboratory discoveries into practical solutions.
The programme will connect Northern Ireland’s academic expertise with major regional investments and draw on a network of more than 30 industry, clinical, charitable and innovation partners.
By developing scientists with advanced digital, translational and commercial skills, NI-ADAPT will address critical workforce shortages, strengthen productivity and help Northern Ireland attract further life-sciences investment. The programme will support the UK Life Sciences Sector Plan by creating the talent needed to move promising discoveries more rapidly towards new treatments, technologies and businesses.
Professor Liam Maguire, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research at Ulster University, said:
“This significant investment represents an important opportunity to build on Northern Ireland’s strengths in life sciences and further enhance our research capability. At Ulster University, we are committed to advancing research that addresses major health challenges and delivers meaningful benefits for patients, communities and society.
“NI-ADAPT will help strengthen the region’s research and innovation ecosystem, creating new opportunities for scientific advancement and supporting Northern Ireland’s ambition to become a leading centre for life sciences research and innovation.”
Professor Gavin Andrews, Director of the NI-ADAPT MRC Doctoral Landscape Award and Head of the School of Pharmacy at Queen’s University Belfast, said:
“This is a landmark investment by the MRC in Northern Ireland’s scientific capability and economic future. Securing this multi-million-pound investment is a tremendous endorsement of the strength and ambition of life and health sciences across Northern Ireland.
“NI-ADAPT will train outstanding doctoral researchers who understand not only the science of disease, but how to translate discovery into new medicines and treatments. By bringing together the strengths of Queen’s, Ulster University, industry and healthcare, we will create the talent needed to drive innovation, increase productivity and place Northern Ireland at the heart of the UK’s global life-sciences ambition.”
Dr Joanna Robinson, Director of Research Talent, Skills and Careers at the Medical Research Council, said:
“Medical research depends on talented people. These awards will support doctoral researchers to develop deep scientific expertise alongside the broader capabilities needed for successful and rewarding careers across research, healthcare, industry and policy.
“By investing in researchers at the start of their careers, we are helping to strengthen the UK's medical research workforce and enable discoveries that improve lives.”
