PhD Studentship: The long, the short and the sticky: finding the mass of natural polymers by NMR

Overview

This PhD studentship focuses on developing advanced nuclear magnetic resonance methods to determine the chain length and aggregation state of natural polymers. Natural polymers are widely used in foods and biomedicine, but measuring their molecular mass is difficult because the chains tend to self-associate and form gels, which distorts standard measurements and contaminates equipment. The project involves creating new models that link Brownian motion to macroscopic diffusion along concentration gradients at high dilution, establishing a unique toolset for determining mass distribution. The research is supervised by Dr. Matthew Wallace at the University of East Anglia in collaboration with Dr. Rob Evans from the University of Manchester, and includes working with seaweed-extracted polymers provided by an industrial partner.

What you get

Successful candidates receive funding covering home tuition fees and an annual stipend for three years, part of a competition for a Faculty of Science funded studentship. The current institutional PhD stipend rate is £21,805 per annum, subject to any agreed inflationary uplift for the 2027 to 2028 period. Scholars will also receive training to develop a skillset spanning NMR spectroscopy, mathematical modelling, data analysis, and complementary analytical techniques such as dynamic light scattering and chromatography.

Requirements

Applicants must hold a minimum entry requirement of a 2:1 Bachelor degree in Chemistry, Pharmacy, Pharmacology, Physics, or a related discipline. Funding is available specifically to UK applicants.

Key dates

The closing date for applications is 24 February 2027. The mode of study is full-time, with the start date scheduled for 1 October 2027.