PhD Studentship: Cracking the carbohydrate code: how carbohydrate-binding modules control starch digestion

Overview

This four-year PhD studentship focuses on understanding how carbohydrate-binding modules and amylases control starch digestion. Starch serves as a primary source of dietary glucose, and the digestion rate significantly impacts metabolic health. Food science currently lacks the mechanistic knowledge needed to design starch-based foods with specific digestion profiles, particularly regarding solid-liquid interfaces where digestion takes place.

The project takes place at the University of East Anglia within the Norwich Research Park, providing access to extensive life science facilities and cross-disciplinary laboratories. Researchers gain expertise in materials science, biomedical methods, spectroscopy, and data analysis. The training prepares candidates for careers in academic research or the industrial sector.

What you get

The studentship provides coverage of university tuition fees along with a living expenses stipend set at the 2026/27 rate of twenty-one thousand eight hundred five pounds per annum. Additionally, recipients receive a research training support grant of five thousand pounds per year for the duration of the four-year program.

Who can apply

Eligible applicants should hold backgrounds in structural biology, biophysics, materials science, pharmacology, or related academic disciplines. Familiarity with advanced structural tools or nuclear magnetic resonance is considered advantageous, and candidates should have an interest in cross-disciplinary scientific collaboration.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is November 30, 2026.