An integrated digital pathology and functional tissue study of risk stratification in penile squamous cell carcinoma
Closing date: 23/11/2026
Clinical Research Training Fellowship: An integrated digital pathology and functional tissue study of risk stratification in penile squamous cell carcinoma
Lead Supervisors: Professor Rob Bristow
Co-Supervisors: Mr Ashwin Sachdeva, Professor Peter Hoskin, Dr Pedro Oliveira, Mr Arie Parham
Applications Deadline: 12:00pm Monday 23rd November 2026
Interviews: Friday 5th February 2027 (in Manchester)
Start date: September 2027
Project Keywords: Penile cancer, metastatic risk, spatial biology
Research Opportunity: Clinical Research Training Fellowship leading to the award of PhD
Project Outline
Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is a rare malignancy in which surgery is the main treatment modality. However, patients suffer substantial physical, psychological and sexual morbidity. There is a need for reproducible biomarkers that can identify patients at sufficiently low risk of inguinal nodal disease to consider less morbid, penile-preservation management strategies, including loco-regional radiotherapy for cure.
PSCCs harbour two distinct clinicopathological entities as defined by the WHO 2022 guidelines: HPV-associated (and therefore p16 immunohistochemistry positive) and HPV-independent1 with p16 positivity predicting more favourable outcomes 2,3. However p16-HPV status and the partially subjective clinical pathology features (i.e. lesion grade & depth, lymphovascular and perineural invasions) do not capture tumour microenvironment (TME; immune, stromal cells and hypoxic sub-regions) heterogeneity nor uniformly predict inguinal metastases 4,5,6. This project will develop a reproducible digital and spatial pathology model for PSCC inguinal nodal metastasis to generate the evidence and framework for future prospective multidisciplinary and biomarker-driven preservation treatments
Central hypothesis
Quantitative PSCC features of tumour–stroma organisation (tumour budding, pattern of invasion); immune-cell distribution (Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes; TILs), coupled with spatial transcriptomics, provides a signature for low risk of inguinal nodal involvement and excellent radioresponse.
Primary aim
To develop a clinically calibrated digital pathology-based risk stratification for predicting inguinal nodal metastasis and potential cure with radiotherapy in PSCC.
Additional/Secondary aims
- Define spatial and molecular features associated with pathology-derived low and high-risk nodal states
- Compare risk-state features between matched primary/inguinal lymph-node tumours
- Establish ex vivo models (organoids) of primary for experimental therapeutics
Research questions
- Can quantitative digital and spatial pathology improve prediction of inguinal nodal metastasis?
- Are their pathology-defined low/high risk states for inguinal lymph-node metastasis?
- Can patient-derived tissue primary and metastatic models be propagated in vitro and in vivo to provide for the testing of radiotherapy response.
Applications for this project are now open. Please complete your application on The University of Manchester website.
About Professor Rob Bristow (project Lead Supervisor)
Robert Bristow MD PhD FRCPC, is the Director of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC), University Professor of Cancer Studies in the Division of Cancer Sciences (The University of Manchester) and Chief Academic Officer at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
He was previously a Clinician-Scientist and Professor within the Departments of Radiation Oncology and Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto and a Senior Scientist at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
His primary research interests are in tumour hypoxia, DNA damage signalling and DNA repair in tumours, and the genomics of prostate cancer progression and cancer treatment response. He is particularly interested in novel clinical trials that intensify cancer therapy to prostate cancer patients whose tumours harbour aggressive genetic changes and hypoxic sub-regions.
Key information
Before submitting an application, please ensure you have read the information below about the funding arrangements and eligibility for our Clinical Research Training Fellowships.
We also encourage you to get in contact with the lead supervisor to discuss the project and any particulars.
Further information is available on the Clinical Research Training Fellowships webpage.
The clinical fellowships are usually tenable for three years, although in certain circumstances they may be four years duration. The Fellowship covers:
- running expenses,
- an appropriate salary in line with the applicant’s current NHS salary and grade
- full coverage of University PhD fees at the UK/home fee rate.
International Candidates
The University of Manchester aims to support the most outstanding applicants from outside the UK.
We are able to offer a limited number of bursaries to high-performing EU and international candidates, covering PhD fees only. Bursaries do not include financial support for visa/health surcharges.
We assess each EU and international candidate’s suitability for a bursary at the application and interview stages.
You must be a post-registration clinician, and ideally have a specialist post in a related subject, to apply for our Clinical Research Training Fellowships.
Applicants must hold an MBChB degree or an equivalent medical qualification. You should also hold, or be about to obtain, a minimum upper second class (or equivalent) undergraduate degree in a relevant subject. A related master’s degree would be an advantage.
It is generally expected that CRTFs will return to a training programme in the UK upon completion of their research degree.
International applicants (including EU nationals) must ensure they meet the academic eligibility criteria (including English Language) before contacting potential supervisors to express an interest in their project. Eligibility information can be found on the University’s Country Specific information page.
Applications for this programme are now open. Please submit your application on The University of Manchester application portal.
Key dates
- Applications open: Monday 5th October 2026
- Application deadline (all projects): 12:00pm Monday 23rd November 2026
- Clinical Interviews: Friday 5th of February 2027 (in Manchester)
- Start date: September 2027 with flexible starts for clinicians
Useful Links
Submit your application
Interested in applying for this opportunity? Submit your application on The University of Manchester application portal.
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