@Keenbean - thx :)
@Myostatin- You have a very good point with funding, this is much better at Oxbridge. Do you think that's the most important factor? The problem is, they aren't really very Neuroscience- focused, so I'm a bit worried I won't get enough support. On the other hand I know the people here and I know I will get help.

Thanks guys, that's valuable advice. If it's the publications not the uni name that would matter (even if I going to work abroad in a few years time), then that's another reason to opt for staying where I am. On the other hand, would it not look bad on me to stay for undergrad and PhD in the same place? Everyone seems so obsessed with moving around to get more experience these days.

Hey all,
I'm quite curious as to what you think- is it the lab or the university that matters more in terms of a PhD? I've got an offer to do one of the Oxbridge 4-year rotation programmes. The labs that would suit me seem ok, publish reasonably often and in fairly good journals, but in the past few years it seems to be mostly reviews which is a bit worrying. I would do 2 rotations, but I'm still worried I will not pick the lab well, especially that the department doesn't really specialise in what I want to do. But then, Oxbridge is a brandname, that is bound to look good on a CV.
On the other hand, my current undergrad project supervisor is trying to figure out funding for me. It's an excellent lab, where previous PhD students got papers in Nature Neuroscience. I really like what I'm doing there and I can happily see myself working with these people for the next 3-4 years. The university is a good one, but it's not Oxbridge.
People who advised me are divided pretty much half and half. I have a preference, but obviously I should make a decision based on what's best for my career, so as part of an attempt to collect opinions, I'm wondering what you would pick- an Oxbridge rotation programme, or a PhD with your undergrad supervisor, still good uni, excellent lab.

Hey,
I'm trying to decide between applying for a pharmacology/ neuroscience PhD in the US (found a few interesting programmes at Yale and John Hopkins) or in London (having looked at the projects offered this year it'll probably be between UCL, King's and the rotational London Pain Consortium PhD). I'm currently doing my undergrad degree in London and love living here, but there a couple of places in the US which sound like quite an opportunity. The advantage of staying in London would be definitely good first hand information on prospective supervisors as well as shorter duration of the PhD, also being an EU student, it'll be easier to get funding than in the US. However, I've been told that whether I want a career in research or in industry, it's very well seen to have versatile experience and staying in London would be a waste of time and a missed opportunity.
On the other hand, as one of my tutors pointed out to me, going to the US means spending 5 years in the same lab, learning the same skills, and she regarded it would be a waste of time. I've so far heard quite different opinions, so would appreciate any comparison of PhD programmes in the UK/ US in terms of quality of the PhD itself, funding, working environment, and the PhD being worth the time (especially in the US as it's at least 2 extra years).
Thanks,
K.