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OxKen programme

The OxKen programme aims to foster a new generation of clinical academics, who will drive world-leading research into musculoskeletal and inflammatory disease, leading to improved patient care.

The Oxford Kennedy MB PhD (BM DPhil) Educational Training Program

The Kennedy Trust for Rheumatology Research-funded OxKen programme will fund two UK medical students who have completed preclinical training for 2026 to undertake DPhils in the Medical Sciences Division in the fields of musculoskeletal disease, inflammation and immunology.

Applications from current UK medical students are welcomed to start directly after preclinical training (Final Honours School) or after the first clinical year.

For further information, please see the Oxford Kennedy DPhil 2026 Intake Booklet.

How to apply

Prospective students should apply with a prioritised list of three projects selected from the list of available projects by 2 December 2025. It is strongly suggested that students contact supervisors of projects they are interested in applying for prior to application.

We will also accept student-generated projects in the fields of inflammation and musculoskeletal diseases - although you will need to find project supervisors.

Applications for the 2026 intake are open until noon on 2 December 2025. Please apply through MSD DTC (DPhil in inflammatory and musculoskeletal disease).

Colleges currently accepting OxKen students are listed at the end of this booklet.

Students are welcome to jointly apply for the OxCat and OxKen training programs.

If successful, students will be allocated a project on the basis of their ranking during the review process.

Funding

Funding is for three years from summer 2026.

All offered places are fully funded at the home rate. This includes stipend (currently £23,000 Y1, £24,759 Y2, £26,000 Y3), University and College fees, and a research consumables budget of £10,000 p.a..

Research Themes

Our research themes relating to musculoskeletal disease are as follows:

  • Basic mechanisms of inflammation
  • Inflammatory and rheumatic disease
  • Patient-reported outcomes
  • Clinical trials and in vivo studies
  • Epidemiology, computational and data science
  • Tissue engineering and remodelling