Meet doctoral researchers at Cranfield University (archive)

We currently have 14 PhD students at Cranfield University. They work on a range of topics including aspects of horticultural, agricultural, soil and post harvest sciences. Meet some of our current students here:

	Shaif Abakah 2021-25 cohort Project title: Understanding seed longevity in weeds and developing non-destructive testing methods for assessing and monitoring seed quality during storage Co-supervising University: Aberystwyth University I have a CASE studentship and the project is also supported by an agriculture company. What is your project about? I’m investigating the factors that enable seeds, especially weed seeds, to stay longer in the soil and seed banks (i.e. during storage) and developing non destructive methods to monitor seed vigour and quality. What led you to doing a PhD with the FoodBioSystems DTP? I want to acquire the training necessary to be an independent researcher and to be an expert in my chosen study area. The DTP offers lots of training opportunities. It is linked to the industry to solve real industrial challenges and problems.
	Sophie Dodd 2021-25 cohort Project title: Honey authentication using intrinsic DNA markers and metabolic fingerprint Co-supervising University: Queen’s University of Belfast What is your project about? Honey is among the top ten foods most likely to be adulterated, and reliable authentication methods are needed, particularly as the demand for premium honey is increasing. In the UK heather honey is one of the most important monofloral honeys produced, my project aims to identify unique biomarkers in heather and combine with markers for common sugar syrup adulterants to determine floral sources and detect sugar dilution in honey samples. Additionally the bioactivity of heather honey will be assessed. What led you to doing a PhD? During my BSc I had the opportunity to complete an internship at a food safety institute where I worked as a research assistant on a variety of interesting projects. Working alongside PhD students and academics made me realise that this was a career path that I could see for myself, and sparked my interest in the food safety industry. I applied for a MSc to improve my knowledge of the subject and continued to search for PhDs alongside my job search. Luckily I came across this project which was a perfect fit for my background and interests. Why did you chose the FoodBioSystems DTP over other PhD opportunities? FoodBioSystems gives the opportunity to work across two university partners, meaning you can combine expertise across institutes and have access to different facilities thereby enriching your project and making it more unique. You also have the opportunity to learn about other projects in different areas across food networks, with access to a network of people with a wide range of skills and knowledge.
	Mariam Kourani 2020-24 cohort Project title: Evaluating epigenetic and transcriptomic adaptations to climate change in Brassica napus (oilseed rape) Co-supervised at: University of Reading What is your project about and why is it relevant to the UK food system? As a result of climate change, over the past few years we have witnessed heat wave events, across the UK, which represent a serious threat to agriculture. Oilseed rape is an economically important crop for the UK. Higher temperature pre- and during flowering reduces pollen fertility, and also can have severe impact on seed moisture – which in turn causes deterioration in the quality of oil content and composition. My project aims to provide a systems-level understanding of the impact of heat stress on yield and seed development of oilseed rape for UK-specific varieties. What have you enjoyed most about your DTP training so far? I have enjoyed the variety of topics that DTP training has provide so far. The regular webinars have exposed me to a wealth of knowledge through listening to the talks of fellow PhD students and to guest speakers from both academia and industry. What challenges have you met so far in your project? During the pandemic, it was difficult to obtain laboratory reagents and consumables as these materials were in shortage nationwide. This resulted in some delays in my experimental work. With my supervisory team’s agreement, I was able to share some lab consumables between the host and co-supervising university which helped to keep the work on track. Another challenge was not being able to meet face to face with other DTP students or to attend face to face events to share thoughts and network with people in the field. This was replaced with regular online events and our group also very kindly set up a regular online coffee meeting to socialise and talk about life.
	Katherine Modos 2021-2029 (part-time registration) Project title: Manipulation of oxygen-dependent ethylene signalling in fruit to reduce food loss and extend storage and shelf-life. Co-supervising University: Aberystwyth University This is a CASE studentship and the project is supported by a food retailer What is your project about? Historically, controlled atmosphere strategies have been successful in reducing metabolic activity and ultimately slowing down senescence on postharvest life. With the innovative system of graduated controlled atmosphere it seems to replicate this effect by using gradual changes to storage conditions, instead of sudden changes, which have shown to have less negative impact with reduced decay incidence in fruits and vegetables. What led you to doing a PhD? My ambition as a food professional is to be able to influence with positive change and to drive the industry towards best practice. Taking part in this project gives something back not just to the industry but also to the world, as it has the potential to reduce food waste and improve sustainable production. Why did you chose the FoodBioSystems DTP over other PhD opportunities? FoodBioSystems DTP has more to offer than a standard PhD course. It provides an opportunity to engage with more universities and specialists, provides further training, further networking opportunities and also better support to ensure you are on the right path to achieving what you set out to do. A real warm embrace of support.
	John Nunns 2021-25 cohort Project title: Improving Pesticide degradation studies: maintaining soil structure, microbial functioning and rhizosphere effects to reflect natural conditions. Co-supervising University: University of Reading I have a CASE studentship and the project is also supported by an agriculture company What is your project about? Several industrial parties have observed a significant difference in the lifespan of pesticides in laboratory and field-testing environments. This project aims to explore the factors behind these differences, particularly focusing on the microbiology and the influence testing differences has on microbial life. Aspects such as the inclusion of plants and disruption by the soil preparation process will be investigated. What led you to doing a PhD? I developed an interest in researching soils in my BSc, enjoying the synthesis of new ideas. This continued through my MRes studies so I decided to pursue a career in research, leading me to apply for this PhD. Why did you chose the FoodBioSystems DTP over other PhD opportunities? My interests have always focused on creating ‘real-world’ solutions through research, so the industrial partnerships attracted me. The opportunity to share knowledge and work alongside another prestigious university besides the host was another factor that interested me.
	Abimbola Oluwakayode 2020-24 cohort Project title: Developing a novel and effective Post Harvest Decision Support System for stored cereals to minimise mould spoilage and mycotoxins Co-supervised at: Queen’s University Belfast What is your project about and why is it relevant to the UK food system? My project will help to minimise mycotoxins contamination in the storage of the four major cereal grains in the UK thereby improving human and animal’s health and reducing waste in the food supply chain. What have you enjoyed most about your DTP training so far and what are you looking forward to doing next in your project? The DTP training has been so educative and it connects students to other food organisations. The next thing I am looking forward to in my project is having an analytical instrumentation training.
	Dannielle Roche 2020-24 cohort Project title: Biostimulants improve soil and plant conditions to enhance the health-related properties of fresh produce Co-supervised at: University of Reading This is a CASE studentship and the project is supported by a food retailer What is your project about and why is it relevant to the UK food system? Growing enough food to feed 10 billion people by 2050 is a global challenge. However, less attention is paid to improving nutritional quality of food and how this impacts human health. Biostimulants, natural products, have the potential to improve crop quantity and quality thereby supporting the food system, from the ground up. What are you looking forward to doing next in your project? I am looking forward to using initial pilot data collected so far in the lab to navigate my way through my experimental phases in order to answer my research questions that I have developed in the early stages of my PhD.
	Christina van Midden 2020-24 cohort Project title: Using organic fertilisers to manipulate soil microbiology for improved nutrient bioavailability Co-supervised at: University of Reading I have a CASE studentship and the project is supported by a non academic partner. What is your project about and why is it relevant to the UK food system? When fertilisers are applied to crops, some of the nutrients are lost to the atmosphere as greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change and creating difficulties for food production. A healthy soil stores nutrients from fertiliser application, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However much of our agricultural soil is degraded and this soil function is being lost, therefore my work aims to reverse this trend by using anaerobic digestate, a by-product of biogas production. What have you enjoyed most about your DTP training so far? I have enjoyed the interactive and imaginative training provided by the Walker Institute. They did a good job demonstrating how our role as researchers can fit into policy decisions concerning climate change at national and international levels. What challenges have you met so far in your project? The main challenge was the restriction to facilities caused by Covid-19. I was unable to talk other lab users, who are an underrated source of information on how labs work and analysis techniques available. To overcome this, me and a fellow DTP student created a soil researcher group where any student at the university working with soil could join to talk and ask questions about soil research at Cranfield.
	Heather Wickson 2020-24 cohort Project title: Reducing Seed Loss and Waste in Umbelliferous Crops Co-supervised at: University of Reading This is a CASE studentship and the project is supported by a seed company. What is your project about and why is it relevant to the UK food system? Umbelliferae species (such as carrot, coriander and parsnip) flower and set seed over an extended period, leading to mixed seed maturity and quality at harvest. This project focuses on understanding the physical and genetic variation in flower and seed development within the parsnip breeding program at Elsoms Seeds Ltd.; with a view to identifying genetic markers associated with to improved seed production efficiency. What have you enjoyed most about your DTP training so far? It has been so interesting to meet and discuss research with fellow students across the Agrifood sector. This, along with systems-thinking training, has helped me understand better where my research sits in the wider food system context. What are you looking forward to doing next? So far my research has been largely field focussed, so I am looking forward to getting into the lab and getting to grips with the parsnip genome.