PhD Studentship: Engineering Fitness in Disease-Resistant Crops

Overview

This four-year PhD studentship focuses on engineering plant fitness and overcoming the growth-defense trade-off in disease-resistant crops. The research investigates resistance to potato cyst nematodes, utilizing the soybean resistance locus Rhg1. The goal is to determine if programmable and precise control of gene expression can maintain resistance against pests while preventing the reduced root growth and lower yields typically caused by continuous expression.

What you get

The studentship provides coverage of tuition fees paid directly to the university, alongside a living expenses stipend set at the 2026/27 rate of £21,805 per annum. Additionally, a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per year is provided for each year of the studentship. Candidates also receive training in plant molecular biology, synthetic and engineering biology, automated DNA assembly, Biofoundry technologies, and genetic engineering.

Requirements

The opportunity is awarded as a Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership PhD DTP studentship. The candidate will conduct the project at the Earlham Institute and participate in training and career development opportunities across the Norwich Research Park through the partnership.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is 2026-11-30.