Award Summary

100% home fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £17,668 (2022-23 UKRI rate). 

Overview

Using plant derived proteins to substitute meat is among the most promising and popular solutions to reduce environmental footprint of food industry and contribute to healthier diets. Even better if plant proteins are obtained from the green waste within a circular economy. Carbon fixing plant enzyme, Rubisco, is the most abundant protein on the planet. As a key rate-limiting step in photosynthesis it has been extensively studied and characterized in different crops. Rubisco from green leaves has been shown to be a functionally better binding agent for vegan burgers than any other plant proteins (patent by Impossible Foods US 10,172,380). Surprisingly there is no big scale Rubisco production yet though there are several start-ups in the USA and Europe entering the market.  

The objectives of this project are (i) perform a feasibility study for Rubisco production from a range of green waste sources available in the UK (grass clippings, sugar beet leaves etc); (ii) test a range of extraction and purification methods that could be applied on an industrial scale; and (iii) evaluate safety, nutritional and functional properties of Rubiscos from different sources.  

The project is ideally suited to students with an interest in food biotechnology wishing to work with industry partners, stakeholders and academics. 

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

18th September 2023

Award Duration

3 Years

Application Closing Date

31st January 2023

Sponsor

Institute for Agri-Food Research Innovations (IAFRI) & Newcastle University (NU)

Supervisors

Maxim Kapralov (NU), Rosario Romero and Maureen Wakefield (Fera) 

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in Biology, Nutrition, Biochemistry or Chemistry or similar.   

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.

The studentship covers fees at the Home rate (UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status and meet the residency criteria). International applicants are welcome to apply but will be required to cover the difference between Home and International fees.

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme. 

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.  

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:  

• Search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8020F
• Research area Environmental Science
• Select ‘PhD Biology (FullTime) – Environmental Science as the programme of study 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section:  

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form  
• The studentship code SNES236 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field  
• When prompted regarding your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal. 

Contact Details

For further information please contact: maxim.kapralov@newcastle.ac.uk and include ‘IAFRI PhD’ in the email subject line.

Award Summary

100% home fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £17,668 (2022-23 UKRI rate). 

Overview

This PhD will analyse the impact of the monetisation of biodiversity, such as Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), on tree planting and maintenance decisions in non-woodland contexts such as along infrastructural linear features, on brownfield sites and as part of development. Environmental and soil testing will be used to estimate trees survival, resilience and growth potential.  

BNG is a new policy that aims to embed biodiversity uplift in development and creates a market “price” for biodiversity. It uses the Biodiversity Metric which is based on the use of habitat area, condition and distinctiveness as a proxy for biodiversity. However, the monetisation of biodiversity has the potential to create perverse incentives, including for tree health and survival. 

This proposal is an inquiry into the monetisation of biodiversity and its impact on tree health outside of woodlands, particularly in development contexts. The methodology will include secondary analysis of existing data such as environmental impact assessments as well as environmental sampling and social research methods for targeted case studies. 

The final research design will be developed with the PhD candidate during the first year. The ideal student will be confident working with an interdisciplinary team and deploying a range of methodologies (supported with training), and have a background in environmental science, applied ecology or equivalent. 

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

18th September 2023

Award Duration

3 years

Application Closing Date

31st January 2023

Sponsor

Institute for Agri-Food Research Innovations (IAFRI) & Newcastle University (NU) 

Supervisors

Jen Clements (Fera), Glyn Jones (Fera) and Elisa Lopez-Capel (NU) 

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant subject (e.g. biology, ecology, soil science etc.).  

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.  

The studentship covers fees at the Home rate (UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status and meet the residency criteria). International applicants are welcome to apply but will be required to cover the difference between Home and International fees. 

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’. 

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study: 

• Search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8010F 
• Research Area: Rural Development 
• Select ‘PhD Agriculture and Rural Development (full time) – Rural Development’ as the programme of study 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section: 

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form 
• The studentship code SNES238 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field 
• When prompted regarding your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal. 

Contact Details

For further information please contact: jen.clements@fera.co.uk and include ‘IAFRI PhD’ in the email subject line. 

Award Summary

100% home fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £17,668 (2022-23 UKRI rate).

Overview

Viruses, and their vectors, pose a serious threat to global agricultural systems. Losses associated with viral diseases are estimated at €15b to €45b per year. Central to effective biosecurity are surveillance and diagnostics. Our interest is in passive monitoring systems characterised by easy-to-use protocols, low fabrication and operational cost, and full in field functionality. These platforms should be capable of rapid re-programming to emerging targets. 

The PhD candidate will design molecular cascades capable of identifying target viruses and viral vectors. You will experimentally test designs for sensitivity and specificity. You will be trained in mathematical modelling of biological systems and in the use of statistical Design of Experiments. By coupling these skills with pipetting robotics available in our laboratory, you will rapidly test, understand and optimise molecular performance. Further, you will take advantage of our expertise in embedding cell-free molecular biology reactions in physical chassis to develop multifunctional materials. 

In collaboration with Fera Ltd. you will employ a user co-design framework to understand the requirements of the device in real world situations. You will consult with potential end users and the outcome of these discussions will directly inform technology development. 

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

18th September 2023

Award Duration

3 Years

Application Closing Date

31st January 2023

Sponsor

Institute for Agri-Food Research Innovations (IAFRI) & Newcastle University (NU)

Supervisors

Thomas Howard, Jem Stach (NU), Adrian Fox, Jenny Tomlinson and Catherine Harrison (Fera) 

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in Molecular biology, Biochemistry, Synthetic biology, Plant Science, Microbiology or similar.   

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.

The studentship covers fees at the Home rate (UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status and meet the residency criteria). International applicants are welcome to apply but will be required to cover the difference between Home and International fees.

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme. 

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:  

• Search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code:8020F
• Research area Environmental Science
• Select PhD Biology (Full-Time) – Environmental Science as the programme of study 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section:  

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form  
• The studentship code SNES239 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field  
• When prompted regarding your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.  

Contact Details

For further information please contact: Thomas.Howard@newcastle.ac.uk and include ‘IAFRI PhD’ in the email subject line.

Award Summary

100% Home fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £17,668 (2022-23 UKRI rate).  

Overview

Food safety and authenticity are particularly pertinent for UK food regulators given Brexit impacts, free trade deals, and dietary changes towards novel food stuffs. The National Food Strategy-Part 2 recommends that UK government develops minimum standards for trade, including health protection. Straightforward, near real-time testing techniques could be used to monitor imported and novel food stuffs, providing appropriate surveillance mechanisms at different points in the food system, ensuring food authenticity and safety standards. This PhD project will explore and test available bio-chemical technologies which could be used in such surveillance streams. The technologies are Ambient Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (AIMS) techniques (e.g., Rapid Evaporative Ionization Mass Spectrometry (REIMS), Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe (ASAP and Direct Analysis in Real-Time (DART)), and they will be explored in terms of their platforms, economies-of-scale for surveillance sampling, and where they could be used within public health and food safety working practices. The techniques will then be tested using pilot study(s) in stakeholder identified scenario(s) and refined as appropriate. Finally, a bio-chemical registry of measurements of indirect markers and profiling of imported and novel versus conventional foods will be developed to define appropriate food authenticity and safety standards in the diagnostic platform. 

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

18th September 2023

Award Duration

3 years

Application Closing Date

31st January 2023

Sponsor

Institute for Agri-Food Research Innovations (IAFRI) & Newcastle University (NU)

Supervisors

Sara Stead (FERA), Marie McIntyre (NU) and James Donarski/Andy Axon (FSA) 

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant subject (inc. chemistry, biology, food science etc.)  

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.  

The studentship covers fees at the Home rate (UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status and meet the residency criteria). International applicants are welcome to apply but will be required to cover the difference between Home and International fees. 

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme. 

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’. 

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study: 

• search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8100F  
• research area: Chemistry 
• select ‘PhD Chemistry (full time) - Chemistry as the programme of study 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section: 

• a ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form 
• the studentship code SNES240 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field 
• when prompted for how you are providing your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.   

Contact Details

For further information please contact: sara.stead@fera.co.uk and include ‘IAFRI PhD’ in the email subject line. 

Award Summary

100% home fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £17,668 (2022-23 UKRI rate).

Overview

Plant protection products must be shown to be safe for non-target organisms, particularly bees, in order to satisfy regulatory requirements. Biopesticides are a rapidly expanding class of plant protection products, many of which are based on microbial ‘actives’. However, no formal methods are available for the regulatory testing of microbial biopesticides on bees. 

Whilst many microbial pesticides are unlikely to cause disease in non-target insects due to a lack of specific pathogenicity, simply exposing a social insect to a microorganism has the potential to activate subclinical responses that can lead to colony-level effects. In order to identify appropriate endpoints and experimental designs for regulatory testing, the student will investigate the knowledge gaps between exposure to biopesticides and the physiological, behavioural and mortality responses in honey bees.  

The student will be based at Fera Science Limited at York, where they will carry out the experimental work, joining an experienced and diverse team working on honey bees. Training will be given in laboratory and field-based techniques, covering methods to assess honey bee behaviour and survival, microbiology culturing methods, cellular immune assays and RT qPCR, data handling and statistical analysis. 

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

18th September 2023

Award Duration

3 years

Application Closing Date

31st January 2023

Sponsor

Institute for Agri-Food Research Innovations (IAFRI) & Newcastle University (NU)

Supervisors

David George (NU) and Ben Jones (Fera)

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant subject (inc. agriculture, biology, environmental sciences, etc.)

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.  

The studentship covers fees at the Home rate (UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status and meet the residency criteria). International applicants are welcome to apply but will be required to cover the difference between Home and International fees. 

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme. 

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’. 

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study: 

• Search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8010F  
• Research area: Agriculture 
• Select ‘PhD Agriculture and Rural Development (full time) - Agriculture as the  programme of study 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section: 

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form 
• The studentship code SNES241 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field 
• When prompted regarding your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.   

Contact Details

For further information please contact: ben.jones@fera.co.uk and include ‘IAFRI PhD’ in the email subject line. 

Award Summary

100% home fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £17,668 (2022-23 UKRI rate).  

Overview

The One Health concept aims to attain optimal health for people, animals, and the environment. Veterinary medical products (VMPs) are used globally to assure animal well-being and agricultural productivity. Not all VMPs are metabolized, and many end up in animal excreta and ultimately the environment. This may result in water pollution and promotion of environmental antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Robust understanding of the environmental fate of VMPs is needed for risk assessment, correct evaluation of chemicals, and mitigation measures. This project aims to improve risk assessment for VMPs. VMPs reach the soil already in association with an organic rich matrix such as animal faeces or manure. Organic matter is a sorbent for VMPs, and sorption will reduce pollutant leaching risks, and bioavailability that may lead to AMR. The project will improve understanding of VMP sorption to manure and soil by considering that organic matter consists of heterogenous supramolecular structures with glassy, rubbery, and crystalline phase characteristics. Sorption governs the exchange of VMPs with water and biota, and the nature of VMP sorption will change with the physical aging of animal excreta or manure in soil. By building and validating a more accurate model of VMP fate, the project will inform more realistic risk assessments and ultimately better protection of the environment, animal, and human health.  

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

18th September 2023

Award Duration

3 Years

Application Closing Date

31st January 2023

Sponsor

Institute for Agri-Food Research Innovations (IAFRI) & Newcastle University (NU)

Supervisors

David Werner (NU) and Chris Sinclair (Fera) 

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in environmental science, engineering or a relevant related subject  

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.

The studentship covers fees at the Home rate (UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status and meet the residency criteria). International applicants are welcome to apply but will be required to cover the difference between Home and International fees.

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.  

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:  

• Search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8010F
• Research area: Agriculture
• Select ‘PhD Agriculture and Rural Development (full time) – Agriculture as the  programme of study

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section:  

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form  
• The studentship code SNES242 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field  
• When prompted regarding your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.  

Contact Details

For further information please contact: chris.sinclair@fera.co.uk and include ‘IAFRI PhD’ in the email subject line.

Award Summary

100% home fees covered and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £17,668 (2022-23 UKRI rate). 

Overview

Detecting and characterising root pests and disease in-field is challenging, and typically involves destructive plant harvesting or intensive sampling. Application of imaging techniques has the potential to allow early detection of infected and stressed crops and assessment of root phenotypes for breeding purposes. This project aims to understand the changes in shoot and leaf physiology in infected plants, which can provide an indirect indicator of root processes using integrated imaging sensors and develop methodology for high throughput detection and discrimination of different root diseases. In addition, timely detection and removal of the infected units will help control the post-harvest spread of diseases, reducing yield losses.

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

18th September 2023

Award Duration

3 years

Application Closing Date

31st January 2023

Sponsor

Institute for Agri-Food Research Innovations (IAFRI) & Newcastle University (NU)

Supervisors

Ankush Prashar (NU), Femke van den Berg, Thomas Prior and Bex Lawson (Fera)

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant subject (inc. biology, plant pathology, plant science, computer science etc)

Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills.

The studentship covers fees at the Home rate (UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status and meet the residency criteria). International applicants are welcome to apply but will be required to cover the difference between Home and International fees.

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme. 

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.  

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:  

• Search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8010F 
• Research Area: Rural Development 
• Select ‘PhD Agriculture and Rural Development (full time) – Rural Development’ as the programme of study 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section:

• A ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form  
• The studentship code SNES243 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field  
• When prompted regarding your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal.  

Contact Details

For further information please contact: Femke.VanDenBerg@fera.co.uk and include ‘IAFRI PhD’ in the email subject line