IBANS Scholars Scheme 2026/27
Interdisciplinary MSc by Research Projects
MSc (Res) degrees are research-based Masters degrees which can be interdisciplinary in nature. You will engage in a full-time research project supervised by researchers from different disciplines and write a dissertation. This is an excellent opportunity to spend a shorter time in a research environment either for a standalone degree or as preparation for a PhD.
IBANS Msc (RES) Scholarships come with research bursaries of £1000 each for your research expenses throughout your degree as well as eligibility for Global Merit Awards for outstanding overseas applicants. You will also receive membership in the Institute for Behavioural and Neural Sciences (IBANS) as an IBANS Scholar.
Application Deadline: No hard deadline. Application for the project will be closed once the position is filled.
Degree start date: September 2026
Fees: Please see this page for information about tuition fees. Overseas candidates are eligible to apply for a Global Merit Award (£7500 tuition fee discount).
Contact: For general enquiries about IBANS Scholar scheme ([email protected]), for general enquiries about admissions ([email protected]), for enquiries about specific projects, please contact the corresponding supervisors.
Current IBANS MSc(RES) Projects
Applications are open for the following projects:
- Project 1: Measuring River Health by Monitoring Invertebrate Movement with Citizen Scientists
- Project 2: Improving belief elicitation through theory and experiments
- Project 3: Cognitive Mechanisms of Cooperation in Collective-Action Games
- Project 4: GLP-1 receptor agonists in pre-conception care: behavioural, reproductive and economic implications for fertility treatment in women with obesity
- Project 5: Mapping the Hidden Language of Heart Cells with Spatial Transcriptomics: Spatial Mapping of β-Adrenergic Signalling Heterogeneity in Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes
- Project 6: Dynamic Leptin Regulation Through Dance: Insights into Wellbeing, Neuroendocrine Balance, and Cognitive Resilience
- Project 7: Bridging the Human-Animal Divide: Applying Intergroup Relations Theory to Animal Behaviour Communication
Project 1
Measuring River Health by Monitoring Invertebrate Movement with Citizen Scientists
Supervisors: Dr Stefan Pulver, (Pyschology and Neuroscience, Centre for Biological Diversity), Dr Iain Matthews (Biology, Centre for Biological Diversity), Dr Chris Sutherland (Maths and Statistics, CREEM), Rebecca Lewis (Biology, and Buglife Scotland)
Rivers worldwide face unprecedented multiple threats from pollution, drought, flooding, and climate change. There is an urgent need to monitor river conditions to target remedial conservation efforts, a task that exceeds the capacity of government agencies alone. Monitoring the abundance and behaviour of aquatic macroinvertebrates provides a window into the health of rivers. This project will develop imaging techniques and an analytical workflow to enable quantification of aquatic invertebrate behaviour and movement in response to multiple environmental stressors, allowing earlier diagnosis of river health decline. We hypothesize that monitoring motor activities in specific species can infer the presence of early-stage, sublethal environmental stressors.
This project has been awarded IBANS Research Bursary of £1000 for research expenses. For further details on the project and informal enquiries please contact Dr Stefan Pulver ([email protected]), Dr Iain Matthews ([email protected]), Dr Chris Sutherland ([email protected]) and Rebecca Lewis ([email protected]).
For a detailed description of the project, see Project 1 Outline.
Project 2
Improving belief elicitation through theory and experiments
Supervisors: Prof Gerhard Riener (Economics), Dr Simon Columbus (Psychology)
Beliefs are central to economic models of decision-making under uncertainty. Economic experiments and surveys use a wide variety of belief elicitation methods (e.g. probabilistic surveys, proper scoring rules), yet these are rarely evaluated as measurement instruments. This MScRes project will use econometric and psychometric methods to test whether common belief elicitation methods capture the same latent belief or introduce method-specific biases and whether they do so reliably across subgroups.
The project has three components (emphasized depending on the student’s background):
- Develop a theoretical framework for evaluating belief elicitation methods
- Re-analyse existing economic datasets with a focus on measurement invariance across subgroups
- Test predictions in a preregistered within-subjects experiment pitting multiple elicitation formats against each other
The empirical study combines econometric and psychometric modelling to identify method- and subgroup-specific heterogeneity and is designed to be completable within a single academic year. The goal is a psychometrically grounded framework that improves comparability of belief measures across populations and strengthens the foundations of behavioural and policy-relevant research.
This project has been awarded St Andrews Business School Research Bursary of £1000 for research expenses. For further details on the project and informal enquiries please contact Prof Gerhard Reiner ([email protected]) and Dr Simon Columbus ([email protected]).
For a detailed description of the project, see Project 2 Outline.
Project 3
Cognitive Mechanisms of Cooperation in Collective-Action Games
Supervisors: Dr Tugce Cuhadaroglu (Economics) & Dr Lizzie Bradford (Psychology & Neuroscience)
Cooperation is central to many real-world challenges, from climate action to public health compliance. Yet individuals often face incentives to free-ride on others’ efforts. This project investigates why people cooperate or fail to do so using a repeated public goods game, a widely used experimental paradigm in behavioural economics and social psychology.
The project focuses on the cognitive foundations of cooperative behaviour. It examines two key mechanisms. First, social cognition: the ability to infer others’ intentions and expectations, which is crucial for predicting others’ behaviour in strategic settings. Second, domain-general cognitive processes, particularly executive functions such as working memory and inhibitory control, which support strategic reasoning and the regulation of self-interested impulses.
You will take part in a behavioural experiment where participants make repeated contribution decisions in group settings. Alongside this, participants will complete a battery of cognitive tasks designed to measure social cognition and executive function. By combining behavioural data, belief elicitation, and cognitive measures, the project will identify which mechanisms best explain variation in cooperation and conditional cooperation across individuals.
This is an opportunity to work on an interdisciplinary project at the intersection of economics and cognitive science, contributing to fundamental questions about human decision-making and collective action.
This project has been awarded St Andrews Business School Research Bursary of £1000 for research expenses. For further details on the project and informal enquiries please contact Dr Tugce Cuhadaroglu ([email protected]) or Dr Lizzie Bradford ([email protected]).
For a detailed description of the project, see Project 3 Outline
Project 4
GLP-1 receptor agonists in pre-conception care: behavioural, reproductive and economic implications for fertility treatment in women with obesity
Supervisors: Dr Joanne Cecil (Medicine), Dr Javier Tello (Medicine), Dr Tugce Cuhadaroglu (Economics)
This interdisciplinary project examines the emerging use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) in women with obesity seeking fertility treatment. Obesity in women of reproductive-age is associated with menstrual disturbance, subfertility, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. BMI thresholds are often required to access NHS funded fertility services, making weight loss a prerequisite. GLP-1 RAs are increasingly used to support preconception weight loss and may offer reproductive benefits. However, FDA labelling advises against pre-conceptional and gestational use of GLP-1 RAs due to teratogenicity in preclinical studies and limited human data. Despite this guidance women wishing to conceive are still choosing to use these drugs.
The project investigates the behavioural, reproductive, and economic implications of GLP-1 RA use, framing decision-making as a trade-off between treatment access, health risks, and clinical constraints. It combines three methodological approaches: (i) systematic evidence synthesis to assess associations between GLP-1 RA use, metabolic and ovarian biomarkers, and pregnancy outcomes; (ii) qualitative research using semi-structured interviews in women living with obesity of reproductive age to explore decision-making processes, behaviours and perceptions of GLP-1RA use; and (iii) development of a decision-analytic economic model comparing GLP-1RA-supported weight optimisation with current BMI-based access policies for fertility treatment.
Applicants should hold, or expect to achieve, a 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent) in psychology, biology, economics, or a related discipline. The successful student will gain training in evidence synthesis, qualitative methodology, behavioural science, and health economic modelling, supported by interdisciplinary supervision across clinical, behavioural, and economic policy disciplines.
This project has been awarded St Andrews Business School Research Bursary of £1000 for research expenses. For further details on the project and informal enquiries please contact Dr Joanne Cecil ([email protected]), Dr Javier Tello ([email protected]) and Dr Tugce Cuhadaroglu ([email protected]).
For a detailed description of the project, see Project 4 Outline.
Project 5
Mapping the Hidden Language of Heart Cells with Spatial Transcriptomics: Spatial Mapping of β-Adrenergic Signalling Heterogeneity in Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes
Supervisors: Dr Paolo Annibale (Physics & Astronomy) & Dr Ilary Allody (Psychology and Neuroscience)
This MSc(Res) project will investigate how neighbouring heart cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-CMs) differ in the key molecular components that regulate their response to adrenergic stimulation — a central pathway controlling cardiac contraction, relaxation, and adaptation to stress. Although β-adrenergic signalling is often treated as uniform across cardiac cells, increasing evidence indicates that substantial cell-to-cell heterogeneity exists even among genetically identical cardiomyocytes (10.1073/pnas.2101119118). Such variability is likely to influence calcium handling, contractility, and responsiveness to drugs, yet its molecular basis remains poorly understood because conventional bulk and dissociative single-cell approaches remove spatial context.
The aim of this project is to generate a spatially resolved, single-cell transcriptomic map of adrenergic signalling heterogeneity in hiPSC-CM monolayers. The student will apply targeted spatial transcriptomics to quantify expression of four key marker transcripts defining major regulatory nodes in the pathway: ADRB1 and ADRB2 (β₁- and β₂-adrenergic receptors), PDE4B (cAMP degradation), and PRKAR1A (PKA regulatory subunit). Together, these genes capture receptor input, second-messenger regulation, and downstream signalling control.
Using established differentiation protocols, hiPSC-CMs will be grown on gridded Ibidi coverslips to preserve positional information. Spatial transcript detection will be combined with high-resolution fluorescence imaging and computational cell segmentation (10.1126/sciadv.adk3229), enabling assignment of transcript counts to individual cells while maintaining spatial relationships within intact cultures. Quantitative analysis will identify cell-to-cell variability, detect spatial clustering or gradients, and determine whether distinct molecular “signalling states” exist among neighbouring cardiomyocytes.
The student will receive training in stem cell culture, spatial transcriptomic workflows, advanced imaging, and computational analysis. The focused four-marker design ensures feasibility within one year. The project aligns with IBANS priorities in advanced bioimaging and quantitative biology and will deliver a proof-of-principle spatial atlas informing drug testing, disease modelling, and regenerative medicine applications.
The project has been awarded IBANS Research Bursary of £1000 for research expenses. For further details on the project and informal enquiries please contact Dr Paolo Annibale ([email protected]) and Dr Ilary Allody ([email protected]).
For a detailed description of the project, see Project 5 Outline.
Project 6
Dynamic Leptin Regulation Through Dance: Insights into Wellbeing, Neuroendocrine Balance, and Cognitive Resilience
Supervisors: Dr Gayle Doherty (Psychology & Neuroscience) & Prof Paula Miles (Psychology & Neuroscience)
Dance is not only an art form, but as a powerful modulator of brain health and wellbeing. It is a uniquely rich activity, combining physical exertion, emotional expression, social interaction, and cognitive challenge. It has been linked to improved mood, reduced stress, and enhanced memory and attention, and remarkably, long-term engagement is associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
At the centre of this project is leptin, a metabolic hormone with established neuroprotective properties. While leptin levels are reduced in AD, dancers also tend to exhibit lower levels, presenting a compelling paradox. This project explores the idea that leptin in dancers is not simply “low,” but dynamically regulated in response to movement, potentially contributing to cognitive resilience.
You will work directly with dancers, collecting real-time data in an engaging, real-world setting. Using non-invasive approaches, you will measure hormonal changes (leptin and cortisol), heart rate, and brain activity via portable EEG devices before, during, and after dance sessions. These data will be integrated with dancers’ own reports of mood and wellbeing, capturing both the biology and emotion experience of dance.
This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to innovative, interdisciplinary research that bridges neuroscience and the performing arts, with potential to reshape our understanding of dance as not only an art form, but a powerful tool for health and cognitive resilience.
This project has been awarded IBANS Research Bursary of £1000 for research expenses. For further details on the project and informal enquiries please contact Dr Gayle Doherty ([email protected]) and Prof Paul Miles ([email protected]).
For a detailed description of the project, see Project 6 Outline.
Project 7
Bridging the Human-Animal Divide: Applying Intergroup Relations Theory to Animal Behaviour Communication
Supervisors: Dr Anna Stefaniak (Psychology & Neuroscience), Dr Sam Pehrson (Psychology & Neuroscience), Dr Manon Schweinfurth (Psychology & Neuroscience)
An exciting research opportunity is available for a highly motivated student interested in human–animal relations and interdisciplinary research. This project investigates how different modes of communicating animals’ emotional and cognitive capacities can reshape public perceptions of animal minds and promote more positive attitudes toward animals. Although animal behaviour research shows that many species possess complex cognitive and emotional abilities, these are often underestimated, an issue with important ethical implications for how animals are treated.
Focusing on rats as a challenging and underexplored case, the project examines how different approaches to communicating scientific evidence about animal minds influence perceptions of animals’ intelligence, emotional capacity, and similarity to humans. It also explores whether observing positive human–animal interactions can further reduce perceived boundaries between species. By integrating insights from social psychology and animal behaviour, the research aims to identify more effective strategies for communicating scientific knowledge about animal minds and to understand how shifting perceptions can foster greater empathy and more ethical attitudes toward animals.
Ideal candidates should hold, or expect to achieve, a strong bachelor’s degree in Psychology, Animal Behaviour/Cognition/Welfare, or a related discipline. We are looking for candidates with interest in human-animal relations and at least some training and experience in statistical data analysis; knowledge of survey-based data collection methods is desirable.
This project has been awarded IBANS Research Bursary of £1000 for research expenses. For further details on the project and informal enquiries please contact Dr Anna Stefaniak ([email protected]), Dr Sam Pehrson ([email protected]) or Dr Manon Schweinfurth ([email protected]).
For a detailed description of the project, see Project 7 Outline.