New London Living Wage stipend and 4-year studentships to catalyse next generation of eye health leaders.
Moorfields Eye Charity has expanded its PhD studentship programme to boost support for early-career researchers and accelerate the development of innovative treatments.
Announced this month, the charity’s studentships have been expanded from three years to up to four years of funding, without a change in scope. Students will also benefit from a significant PhD stipend increase, rising from £22,000 to £28,860 per year, aligning with the London Living Wage. In comparison, UK Research and Innovation has a national minimum annual PhD stipend of £21,805 (£23,805 London based) per year.
The changes come at an important time, with the urgent need for more leading eye health researchers to address the rapidly increasing global burden of sight loss, and the high cost of living in the UK. Applications from prospective supervisors to our 2026 PhD studentship scheme are now open, alongside a wide range of other grant funding support.
Every six minutes, someone in the UK starts to lose their sight. Moorfields Eye Charity drives innovation and research in eye health through the world-leading partnership of Moorfields and UCL bringing new treatments and changing more lives, faster.
Dr Peter Bloomfield, Director of grants and research at Moorfields Eye Charity, said: “Improving eye health has never been more important. Right now, more than two million people across the UK are living with sight loss – a number set to double over the next 30 years as the population ages. It’s vital we encourage a diverse pipeline of early-stage researchers to make the breakthroughs in eye health that will help us to live well as we live older. Setting people up for success at the earliest stage is crucial. That’s why we’re incredibly proud to announce these changes to our studentships.”
Importantly, the charity has also supplemented its active PhDs to ensure equity for students that were on the previous stipend.
Esme Brown, a UCL Institute of Ophthalmology PhD student funded through a Moorfields Eye Charity studentship, said: “It’s great to see Moorfields Eye Charity support PhD researchers through the challenges that come with living and studying in London. My studentship continues to provide countless opportunities to develop my skills while making steady progress on my project. It is reassuring to feel so supported both academically and personally, allowing me to concentrate fully on my research.”
Dr Tom Burgoyne, MRC career development fellow at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Esme’s supervisor, said: “This is exciting news and reflects a strong commitment to supporting researchers. It recognises both the time required to fully explore research ideas and the financial pressures faced by PhD students due to rising living costs in London. Importantly, it shows sustained investment in the future of eye research while fostering a supportive and sustainable environment for the next generation.”
The new support is part of the charity’s new grants strategy to accelerate and grow impact in eye-health research which will be launched in the summer.
Robert Dufton, Moorfields Eye Charity chief executive, said: “This is a golden age of eye research. Breakthroughs in AI-driven diagnostics, gene and stem cell therapies, and advanced imaging are fundamentally transforming how we detect, treat, and prevent vision loss, and Moorfields Eye Charity is playing a vital role at a pivotal time.
“Through targeted funding and strategic partnerships – anchored by the world-leading collaboration between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology - we continue to empower world-class eye health research. Researchers can look forward to more exciting news later this year when we launch our new strategy, with the aim of transforming the outlook for every individual living with or at risk of eye disease.”
