In 2002 a novel, EPSRC-funded initiative to train the interdisciplinary researchers of tomorrow began; the Life Sciences Interface Doctoral Training Centre (LSI DTC). This was followed by the inception of the Systems Biology DTC in 2007 and most recently the Systems Approaches to Biomedical Science Industrial Doctorate Centre in 2009. What began as a single DTC with 9 students has since expanded to over 180 students across three DTCs. DTC students undertake a four-year training programme. The first year comprises intensive interdisciplinary taught modules and two extended and individually tailored, masters level short projects. The remaining years constitute the substantive DPhil project in one or more of the respective DTC’s application areas.