Visiting Researcher Programme

The Engineering Biology Hub’s Visiting Researcher Programme aims to support scientists or PhD students to conduct short-term Engineering Biology projects.

The Visiting Researcher Programme aims to strengthen collaboration and provide hands-on training opportunities at the Roslin Institute. This programme is an opportunity to develop new skills, expand your network, and accelerate your research in a supportive and collaborative environment.

We invite external researchers to join us for short-term residencies (2–5 weeks), where you can:

  • Carry out specialised laboratory work using our advanced facilities
  • Access unique bioresources and technical expertise
  • Work closely with the Hub’s expert scientists

Each year, up to three visiting researchers will be hosted. We particularly welcome applications from scientists whose projects align with the Hub’s thematic areas in Engineering Biology - Our Research.

For initial enquiries, please get in touch with the Engineering Biology Hub Coordinator

How to apply

Apply now

 

Applicant Eligibility

  • Open to PIs and postdoctoral researchers, with a focus on early-career researchers.
  • PhD students may apply if accompanied by their supervisor.
  • Applicants must propose experiments that require access to Roslin’s lab infrastructure, bioresources, technical expertise, or equipment not available at their home institution.
  • National and international researchers are eligible.

What We Offer

  • Total support, up to £3,700 per researcher (including lab consumables <£2,200 and or accommodation contribution <£1,500).
  • Technical assistance.
  • Use of shared lab space and access to core facilities.
  • Support in accessing Roslin equipment, resources and protocols.

What Researchers Provide

  • Travel and personal expenses.
  • Remaining accommodation costs.
  • Costs for specialist reagents, imaging, sequencing, or custom consumables beyond the standard allocation.

Reporting

  • Visiting researchers must submit a short outcome report within 6 months of visit completion.

Example project: Examining avian sex chromosome dosage compensation

Dr Amir Fallahshahroudi, a junior principal investigator at the Uppsala University in Sweden, visited the Roslin Institute to investigate the avian sex chromosome dosage compensation system. His project was enabled by access to unique surrogate host technology (an inducible sterile transgenic chicken line) and specialist facilities in gene editing, imaging, and flow cytometry. Guided at Roslin by Professor Mike McGrew and his team, the project developed into a landmark in vivo study published in Nature, helping Amir gain new skills, international collaborators, and career progression toward independence.

Find out more about Amir's visit here

Amir Fallahshahroudi

This article was published on