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Biology, Zoology and Biotechnology Postgraduate Research

We offer research degree opportunities across a range of biology, zoology and biotechnology areas. We make an impact in plant and microbial biology, ecology, and modelling, evidence and policy.

Research strengths

We offer opportunities to earn your PhD by doing postgraduate research in:

  • conflict and synergies between human objectives and conservation interests
  • co-creation of research to inform global biodiversity policy processes, especially on species conservation
  • modelling disease in wildlife, livestock and human systems to identify mitigation
  • enhancing resilience, productivity and quality of plants in natural and agricultural systems
  • biotechnological routes to novel materials and processes, and production of sustainable chemicals
  • systematics and evolution

Biology, Zoology and Biotechnology research

We focus on understanding biological and ecological systems, and apply our findings to resolve global problems.

Our facilities

We have an outstanding range of Biology facilities to support research and teaching. We use them for identification and characterisation of bacteria, plants, algae and fungi. The facilities help with identification of novel antimicrobial compounds.

Our staff

Learn about our staff research interests, past publications, and ongoing projects.

We've developed a system of measuring impact forest fragmentation has on animal species. This helps to inform conservation and restoration efforts.

Choose a course

Explore areas in biology, zoology and biotechnology with a PhD or MPhil degree.

Choose from our MPhil and PhD courses below and contribute to impactful research in your chosen field.

Biology MPhil, PhD

Biotechnology (Marine Sciences) MPhil, PhD

Microbiology (Biological Sciences) MPhil, PhD

Biotechnology (Biological, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences) MPhil, PhD

 

How to apply for your PhD

We accept PhD and MPhil applications at any time during the year.

Either: Browse our pre-designed projects (go to step 6)

Or: Propose your own project - suggested topics are available on each subject page.

Step 1: Find and contact prospective supervisors.

Step 2: Write a research proposal.

Step 3: Check entry requirements and fees on our course pages. Potential funding options are also available.

Step 4: Apply via our online portal. You'll need to include the programme code, supervisor name and project or funding details if applicable

Step 5: Receive your offer – this will normally be a conditional offer.

Step 6: Accept your offer, send in any documents to meet the conditions and register!

You can only submit one application but this can be linked to multiple projects and studentships. You must specify this on the application form or in your cover letter.

If you’ve already submitted your application, you can link it to another project or studentship by sending an email to pgadmissions@ncl.ac.uk.

How to write your research proposal
Find out how to apply for your postgraduate course

Contact us

If you need help with your application, you can email our team.

Email: snes.pgr.support@ncl.ac.uk

Find a supervisor

Before applying for a research degree, you’ll need to find a supervisor who aligns with your research interests.

To find a supervisor, we suggest that you:

Biology, Zoology and Biotechnolgy PhD research projects

Below is a list of potential research areas. Please contact your proposed supervisor directly for any further information.

Professor Darren Evans

Supervisor: Professor Darren Evans

Projects:

  • The impacts of environmental change of species-international networks (network ecology)
  • The impacts of light pollution on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning
  • Next-generation biomonitoring: integrating technologies using AI
  • Developing shock propagation models for sustainable land-use and food systems

Key words: Community ecology; network science; molecular ecology; biodiversity conservation

 

Dr Thomas Howard

Supervisor: Dr Thomas Howard

Projects:

Topics of interest include:

  • Metabolic engineering of microbial or cell-free systems for production of fuels and chemicals,
  • Creation of molecular biology-enhanced materials (for example, for the development of new diagnostics and surveillance methods, or materials capable of bio-computation),
  • Development of technologies and approaches that facilitate the Design-Build-Test-Learn cycle in synthetic biolog

Key words: Synthetic Biology; Engineering Biology; Metabolic Engineering; Cell-Free Protein Synthesis; Cell-Free Systems; Biofuels

Dr Maxim Kapralov

Supervisor: Dr Maxim Kapralov

Projects:

  • Developing machine learning and gene-editing tools to make better crops.
  • Can we reverse climate change by changes in carbon capture enzymes? 
  • Green waste to food grade protein: a case study for the use of plant proteins in food production.

Key words: Plant biology, photosynthesis, machine learning, gene-editing, food security.

Dr Simon Maddock

Supervisor: Dr Simon Maddock

Projects:

  • Conservation genomics of reptiles and amphibians
  • Systematics of reptiles and amphibians
  • Drivers of diversification in reptiles and amphibians
  • Impacts of environmental change on reptiles and amphibians
  • Ecological interactions of reptiles and amphibianss.

Key words: Ecology, evolution, conservation, reptiles, amphibians

 

Professor Philip McGowan

Supervisor: Professor Philip McGowan

Projects:

  • Reducing species extinction risk to achieve Goal A of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (applicable to any country)
  • Developing a strategic approach to the conservation of species most in need of targeted recovery action (this would address target 4 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework)
  • What knowledge and data do Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have access to to support biodiversity conservation and how can access to the information, and gathering and management of data, that is needed be improved.
  • I would also welcome proposals on other ideas that would help inform new ways to tackle conservation issues, and that work with Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and/or other relevant organisations and bodies. 

Key words: Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework; biodiversity conservation; species; extinction risk; international biodiversity conventions

 

Dr Marie McIntyre

Supervisor: Dr Marie McIntyre

Projects:

  • Food safety issues associated with venison harvesting
  • Food safety and smoked salmon production
  • Systems approaches to understand food safety risks in food production

Key words: Animal Welfare, Zoology, Agriculture, Pets, Sensors, Behaviour

 

Dr Marion Pfeifer

Supervisor: Dr Marion Pfeifer

Projects:

  • Habitat fragmentation and impacts on biodiversity and microclimates
  • Agroforestry for climate change mitigation and adaptation: using land system science frameworks
  • Forest landscape restoration in tropical landscapes

Note: I only accept PGR students following interview and discussion of specific projects, which have to align with my lab's objectives and interests. I only accept PhD candidates that have secured/do secure external funding.

Key words: tropical and UK, agroforestry, natural capital, land systems science, remote sensing, biodiversity

 

Professor Paul Race

Supervisor: Professor Paul Race

Projects:

  • Antibiotic discovery in the abyss
  • Enzyme discovery and engineering for green chemistry
  • Microbes and enzymes from 'extreme' evironments
  • Biocatalysis for industrial biotechnology

Key words: Natural products, enzymology, biochemistry, microbiology, antibiotics

Dr Isabel Smallegange

Supervisor: Professor Lucy Asher

Projects:

  • Using life histories to forecast how coldblooded animals respond to environmental change
    How development shapes the pace-of-life of animals
    Integrating developmental plasticity into eco-evolutionary population dynamics
    The eco-evolutionary population dynamics of how plasticity shapes life histories and population responses to change

Key words: environmental change, phenotypic plasticity, demography, eco-evolutionary dynamics, evolution

                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Dr Gavin Stewart

Supervisor: Dr Gavin Stewart

Projects:

  • Developing evidence-based methods guidance for Meta-analysis or Systematic Review
  • Meta-analysis of diverse evidence
  • Developing methodologies to communicate strength of evidence
  • Meta-analytical applications in food security, ecology, social science, health or other fields (see google scholar for range of applications)

Other interests: Decision models, Rhododendrons, Wildfowl, Upland ecology, Pre-hospital Emergency Care, Sports Science, Speleology, Mining.

Key words: Meta-analysis, evidence synthesis, systematic review, science policy, bias

                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Professor Sam Wilson

Supervisor: Professor Sam Wilson

Projects:

  • Greenhouse gas cycling in the land and sea
  • Algal photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation
  • Low-cost methane sensors
  • Climate change impacts in aquatic systems
  • Water quality 

Key words: Greenhouse gas, Algal photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation, Low-cost methane sensors, Climate change, Water quality 

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