Student Experience
The programme brings students together in a shared doctoral experience that values connection, mutual support and learning across the island of Ireland.
Cohort-Based Training
ALL-CAN Training is delivered through a cohort model, with five students recruited per year. This approach fosters peer support, collaboration and a strong all-island research community.
Cohort members are encouraged to learn together, share experiences across institutions, and build professional networks that extend beyond their home university.
The cohort model supports peer learning and collaboration across institutions and disciplines, reflecting the all-island nature of the programme.
Support and Development
Students benefit from academic supervision, professional development opportunities, cohort events and access to graduate school support services at their home institution.
The programme is designed to provide a supportive training environment that recognises the academic, professional and personal demands of doctoral study.
ALL-CAN Training is designed to provide a supportive and inclusive doctoral training environment, recognising the academic and professional demands of research training.
Further detailed guidance for enrolled students will be provided through the ALL-CAN Training Student Guide.
Taking part in a doctoral training programme between the US and Ireland was an exceptional experience that allowed me to work alongside world leaders in cancer research. During my PhD, I identified a key role for specialised vascular cells, known as pericytes, in regulating metastatic tumour cell dormancy. The international nature of the programme created opportunities not possible at a single institute, including broader conference participation, long-term collaborations, and access to advanced research technologies. Tamara McErlain
Doctoral Training Programme Graduate
My PhD focused on a region of chromosome 5 where common DNA variants associate with increased risk of at least 10 cancer types. Over the course of my training, I developed skills in genetics, functional genomics and bioinformatics to lead a collaborative effort across four labs, each focusing on different cancers, to characterise a novel regulatory element controlling cancer predisposition genes. The collaborative nature of the project was invaluable, allowing me to build on skills developed at Queen’s while gaining access to methods and expertise not feasible at a single institution. Aidan O'Brien
Doctoral Training Programme Graduate