Pioneering New LITAC Doctoral Scholarships

LITAC is proud to announce that applications are open for five new fully funded PhD projects that will push the boundaries of design, materials science, and advanced manufacturing. 

Each of these projects reflects LITAC’s commitment to tackling global challenges through interdisciplinary research, while directly contributing to UK industry, from healthcare to sustainable manufacturing and advanced materials. Critically, these initiatives will serve to strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in science, technology, and innovation. 

Fibre-Based Next Generation Magnetic Vine Robots 

Delivered jointly by the Leeds Institute of Textiles and Colour (LITAC) and the Science and Technology of Robotics in Medicine (STORM) Lab, this interdisciplinary project combines expertise in textile engineering and soft robotics to pioneer a new manufacturing approach for magnetic vine robots. These soft, flexible systems are inspired by the movement and growth of climbing plants and are designed to navigate narrow and complex spaces, providing clear potential for minimally invasive medical procedures and confined-environment exploration.  

Professors Stephen Russell and Giuseppe Tronci at the School of Design, and Professor Pietro Valdastri at the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering form the project’s supervisory team. Further information, including how to apply, can be found on the full PhD advert.

Optimisation of Light Sources

Addressing the intersection of lighting design, human vision, and colour science, this project will explore how light spectra can be optimised for different visual inspection tasks, from medical diagnostics to industrial quality control. Leveraging low-cost, tunable LED technology, the research project will support the UK’s drive toward advanced manufacturing and photonic technologies, with potential applications across healthcare, textiles, and digital imaging industries. 

The project will be supervised by Professors Stephen Westland and Kaida Xiao at the School of Design. Full details and application guidance can be found in the complete PhD advertisement.

Smart Textile Composites for Space Applications

This ambitious PhD project envisions a new generation of multifunctional, lightweight composite materials for future spacecraft. By embedding electronic sensing, communication, and monitoring systems directly within textile-based structures, the research aims to revolutionise the design of space materials. The work directly supports the UK’s Space Industry Growth Strategy and emerging advanced materials and manufacturing sectors, enabling more sustainable, efficient spacecraft construction. 

Supervision for this project will be provided by Professor Stephen Russell, Professor Yu Shi, Dr Nutapong Somjit and Dr. Mark Taylor. Additional information, including how to apply, is available on the full PhD advert.

Stimulus-responsive Mesh for targeted Anticancer Delivery and Catheter Integration

Bringing together materials science, bioengineering, and clinical innovation, this project will develop stimulus-responsive textile meshes integrated with medical catheters for precision drug delivery. Using ultrasound to trigger site-specific therapeutic release, this work has the potential to transform targeted cancer treatment and reduce systemic toxicity. It contributes to the UK’s Life Sciences Vision, which prioritises novel therapeutic technologies and personalised medicine. 

Professors Giuseppe Tronci, Stephen Russell and Dr. Xuebin Yang form the project’s supervisory team. Further details, including application information, are available in the full PhD advert.

Weft Knitted Spacer Fabrics (WeKSFs) for High-Performance Textiles 

Focusing on next-generation textile engineering, this project will explore how weft knitted spacer fabrics can be structurally optimised for protective, medical, and performance applications. By integrating auxetic geometries and 3D seamless fabrication techniques, the research will deliver textiles with superior compression, impact resistance, and comfort. The project will support UK ambitions in advanced manufacturing and sustainable materials innovation, vital to both defence and healthcare industries. 

Dr. Mark Taylor and Dr. Eleanor Scott comprise the supervisory team for this project. For more information and application instructions, please refer to the full PhD advertisement.

Driving the UK’s Next Wave of Innovation 

Together, these doctoral projects exemplify LITAC’s strategic focus on interdisciplinary research for global impact, spanning artificial intelligence, healthcare technologies, advanced materials, and sustainable textile design. 

LITAC warmly welcomes new researchers to join our vibrant community of innovators, creators, and problem-solvers. As we embark on this next wave of doctoral projects, we are excited to invite passionate individuals who are eager to shape the future of design, science, and technology. By joining LITAC, new doctoral candidates will become part of a collaborative ecosystem that bridges academia and industry, driving meaningful impact, advancing the UK’s frontier industries, and contributing to a more sustainable, connected world.