PhD Opportunities

We are not currently advertising studentships.

Information for current applicants

Timetable for selection

Closing date for student applications Monday 22 January 2024 (10:00 GMT)
Student interview window (shortlisted candidates will be contacted by project supervisors by the end of February) 21 February – 6 March 2024
Candidates not shortlisted will be notified by email 28 February 2024
Award/rejection letters will be sent to shortlisted applicants 25 March 2024

Information to support you during the selection process is in the applicant guidance document and is summarised below:

Being a FoodBioSystems DTP funded student

As a FoodBioSystems postgraduate researcher student you will undertake training that leads towards a PhD and equips you with extra skills and knowledge to support your future career. Your research project will be co-supervised across two institutes within our academic partnership and you will take part in our training programme to gain a core understanding of food systems, data analysis and modelling. You will also follow a programme of subject specific learning, depending on your needs. In addition, you will carry out a professional internship (generally not related to the research project).

You will receive a tax free stipend (salary) for four years so that you can benefit from the DTP training programme in addition to completing your research and submitting your thesis within 4 years registration period. £18,622 (or £20,622 (including £2,000 London allowance) for a studentship based at Brunel University). The pay increases slightly each year at rate set by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Please also explore our website to find our more about the DTP training programme, current projects at the 6 partner universities and meet some of our researchers to check out what they have said about their research and training experiences so far.

How we select students

Applications received before the closing date and time are considered in two stages:

Shortlisting

Applications are checked for academic and funding eligibility. Eligible applications are anonymised and then considered by the PhD project supervisors. They mark the application answers against the assessment criteria. At this stage supervisors do not know the name, contact details or degree-awarding university of applicants. The four highest scoring candidates for each project will be invited to interview.

Interviews and selection panel assessment

Interviews

If your application is shortlisted you will receive an invitation to an online interview (on Skype, Teams or Zoom). As part of the interview, you will be asked to give a short research presentation (maximum five minutes) followed by five minutes for questions about the presentation. Additional questions will explore:

  • Your motivation to do a PhD with the FoodBioSystems DTP
  • How your skills and experience prepare you for the specific project
  • Other questions about impact of the research, problem solving skills and career plans
Selection panel assessment

If you are selected for an interview, a panel of reviewers from the DTP Selection Committee will also assess the written answers from your application form. They will not know your name, contact details or degree-awarding university at this stage.

Assessment criteria

We ask applicants to provide information about their academic qualifications, research experience and transferable skills. It is essential that all applicants (including those applying for a guaranteed interview) provide full answers in their written application, as these are assessed at least once during the selection process.

The table below shows what essential criteria the DTP is looking for in our PhD student candidates and where in the selection process we assess those criteria.

Essential Selection Criteria Stage Assessed
  Shortlisting Interview Selection Panel review of application form answers
Academic qualifications and background x x
Academic and technical understanding of the research topic presented during the interview x
Project specific research experience and technical skills x x
General research experience and technical skills x x
Ability to relate own skills to the proposed PhD project x
Transferable skills x x x
Understanding of the UK agri-food sector x x x
Motivation for choosing the FoodBioSystems DTP x x
Awareness of how this PhD fits into own career plans x x

The selection panel will make the final decision on project allocation, considering applicants’ performance at interview and reviewer assessments of written answers.

Project descriptions

All advertised projects are listed in the table below.

Research area Project number Project title Lead Supervisor / University Co-Supervisor / University
Across the Food Chain projects FBS2024-026-Patriarca-cr Reducing Food Loss and Waste in the tomato products food chain Andrea Patriarca, Cranfield University Alexey Mikaberidze, University of Reading
Across the Food Chain projects FBS2024-054-Kliem-rs Bioaccessibility of lipids from dairy products: the cheese matrix Kirsty Kliem, University of Reading Terri Grassby, University of Surrey
Alternative Food Systems FBS2024-003-Whitworth-aq Crop protection: protecting farmed insects from pathogens using predatory bacteria David Whitworth, Aberystwyth University Katerina Theodoridou, Queen’s University Belfast
Alternative Food Systems FBS2024-035-MillsC-sq Optimising the safety and nutritional quality of insect protein ingredients Clare Mills, University of Surrey Katrina Campbell, Queen’s University Belfast
Alternative Food Systems FBS2024-088-Chatzifragkou-rq Alternative oil production from microbial cell factories for food applications Afroditi Chatzifragkou, University of Reading Tassos Koidis, Queen’s University Belfast
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-013-Stergiadis-rq Mechanistic and applied strategies for the production of vitamin B12-enriched milk Sokratis Stergiadis, University of Reading Katerina Theodoridou, Queen’s University Belfast
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-021-Robinson-qa Blood and guts: functional genomics to probe blood-feeding in liver fluke Mark Robinson, Queen’s University Belfast Gabriel Rinaldi, Aberystwyth University
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-022-Prada-sq Future-proofing livestock health by quantifying the burden of disease and benefits of sustainable interventions Joaquin Prada, University of Surrey Eric Morgan, Queen’s University Belfast
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-025-Pexas-cr Substituting soy with insects in UK poultry production: a holistic evaluation of sustainability impacts and trade-offs Georgios Pexas, Cranfield University Yiorgos Gadanakis, University of Reading
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-030-Nash-ar Cows, cannabinoids and terpenes; screening hemp-derived compounds for anti-inflammatory properties to tackle inflammatory disorders of the dairy cow Deborah (Debbie) Nash, Aberystwyth University Kirsty Kliem, University of Reading
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-032-Morphew-aq Close encounters of the protein kind: Exploiting protein-protein interactions for liver fluke control Russ Morphew, Aberystwyth University Aaron Maule, Queen’s University Belfast
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-033-Morgan-qa Bleeding us dry? Protecting livestock from haematophagous parasite coinfections in a warming world Eric Morgan, Queen’s University Belfast Rhys Jones, Aberystwyth University
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-041-McBride-as The importance of sleep: using AI (video-based motion capture systems) to improve the health, resilience and productivity of dairy cows Sebastian McBride, Aberystwyth University Matthew Parker, University of Surrey
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-050-Kyriazakis-qc A novel Bayesian methodology to estimate unobserved traits of cattle for AI-assisted precision feeding Ilias Kyriazakis, Queen’s University Belfast Georgios Pexas, Cranfield University
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-063-JonesR-ar Exploring Bovine TB epidemiology on persistently infected farms via enhanced molecular analysis of the environment and parasitic nematode populations Rhys Jones, Aberystwyth University Ian Jones, University of Reading
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-084-Daramola-sq Understanding fluke evolutionary biology: Finding new ways to sustainably monitor, predict and assess the biological impact of parasite adaptation and regulatory mechanisms Olukayode Daramola, University of Surrey Mark Robinson, Queen’s University Belfast
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-085-Cramer-ra Evaluation and validation of LAP-MALDI mass spectrometry profiling for the detection of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) Rainer Cramer, University of Reading Amanda Gibson, Aberystwyth University
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-090-Chalmers-aq Determining the function and diagnostic potential of EV proteins in liver fluke Iain Chalmers, Aberystwyth University Aaron Maule, Queen’s University Belfast
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-093-Carroll-qr Pioneering Progress: Insights into Effective Animal Welfare Interventions Grace Carroll, Queen’s University Belfast Kate Johnson, University of Reading
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-097-Betson-sa Investigating the gut parasite Eimeria in UK sheep: parasite species diversity and impacts on the gut microbiome Martha Betson, University of Surrey Justin Pachebat, Aberystwyth University
Animal health and livestock agricultural systems FBS2024-101-Arnott-qr The role of precision technologies in future grazing systems: Implications for animal welfare, performance and farm sustainability Gareth Arnott, Queen’s University Belfast Sokratis Stergiadis, University of Reading
Consumer focused projects FBS2024-069-Hart-sc Packaging, date labelling and nutritional quality – can less equal more? Kathryn Hart, University of Surrey Kenisha Garnett, Cranfield University
Decarbonising food systems FBS2024-015-Sizmur-rc Towards net-zero chocolate: carbon and nutrient budgets for compost use on cocoa farms Tom Sizmur, University of Reading Ruben Sakrabani, Cranfield University
Decarbonising food systems FBS2024-020-Sakrabani-cq Evaluating suitability of graphitic carbon from methane cracking to improve soil nutrient retention for crop uptake Ruben Sakrabani, Cranfield University Deepak Kumaresan, Queen’s University Belfast
Decarbonising food systems FBS2024-095-Cain-cr Enhancing Sustainability Assessment Frameworks for Regenerative Agriculture: Integrating Ecological, Social, and Economic Indicators for Comprehensive Analysis Michelle Cain, Cranfield University Laurence Smith, University of Reading
Food Safety (microbial) FBS2024-106-Verheecke-Vaessen-cq Development of novel tests to evaluate the food safety risk associated with mycotoxigenic fungi in wheat Carol Verheecke-Vaessen, Cranfield University Katrina Campbell, Queen’s University Belfast
Food Safety (microbial) FBS2024-040-McCarthy-bq Repurposing artificial sweeteners as infection and contamination control agents Ronan McCarthy, Brunel University Brendan Gilmore, Queen’s University Belfast
Food Safety (microbial) FBS2024-089-Charalampopoulos-rc Development of novel, biodegradable, active food packaging Dimitris Charalampopoulos, University of Reading Natalia Falagan, Cranfield University
Food Safety (other) FBS2024-105-Al-Sid-Cheikh-rs Microplastics in milk and dairy products: the future of milk in the Plastic Age Maya Al Sid Cheikh, University of Surrey Kirsty Kliem, University of Reading
Food security FBS2024-009-Thompson-ca Advanced gene editing to improve water use efficiency in crops Andrew Thompson, Cranfield University John Doonan, Aberystwyth University
Food security FBS2024-023-Potts-rc Increasing the value of silvoarable agroforestry using understory crops in the tree rows Simon Potts, University of Reading Paul Burgess, Cranfield University
Food security FBS2024-042-Mariano-sq In(ph)inity wars: understanding phages-bacteria evolutionary conflict to design new biocontrol strategies Giuseppina Mariano, University of Surrey Linda Oyama, Queen’s University Belfast
Food security FBS2024-044-Lo Iacono-sr Modelling the impact of diseases on pollinator networks Gianni Lo Iacono, University of Surrey Michael Garratt, University of Reading
Food security FBS2024-045-Lloyd-ac Walk on the Wild Side: improving trait introgression from crop wild relatives Andrew Lloyd, Aberystwyth University Fady Moareb, Cranfield University
Food security FBS2024-083-Doonan-ar AI_BeanBag: Unlocking the Potential of Faba Beans in Sustainable Agriculture and Nutrition John Doonan, Aberystwyth University Donal O’Sullivan, University of Reading
Gut Microbiota FBS2024-002 -Wijeyesekera-rs Interactions between the gut microbiota, vitamin D and bone health: assessing dietary driven approaches to support healthy ageing Anisha Wijeyesekera, University of Reading Susan Lanham-New, University of Surrey
Gut Microbiota FBS2024-004-Walton-rs A probiotic approach targeting the microbiota to improve Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms and associated low mood Gemma Walton, University of Reading Kathrin Cohen Kadosh, University of Surrey
Gut microbiota FBS2024-046-Lewis-rs Improving oral iron absorption in infants using prebiotics and probiotics to modify the gut microbiota Marie Lewis, University of Reading Arnoud van Vliet, University of Surrey
Gut Microbiota FBS2024-064-Huws-qa How and why do rumen bacteria talk to each other? Sharon Huws, Queen’s University Belfast David Whitworth, Aberystwyth University
Gut Microbiota FBS2024-065-Hunt-sr Exploring the Impact of Anthocyanin-rich Diets on Gut Microbiome Composition and its Role in Menopause-Related Health Issues: Population-Based and Mechanistic Studies Julie Hunt, University of Surrey Glenn Gibson, University of Reading
Nutrition (human) FBS2024-007-Tischler-sr Plant-based diets for older people in care homes: a realist and psychobiological evaluation Victoria Tischler, University of Surrey Lisa Methven, University of Reading
Nutrition (human) FBS2024-012-Su-qr Odd-Chain Fatty Acids and Gut Bacterial Metabolites in Cardiac Metabolic Remodelling: Implication in the Therapeutic Strategy of Cardiovascular Disease Qiaozhu Su, Queen’s University Belfast Vimal Karani, University of Reading
Nutrition (human) FBS2024-029-Oruna-Concha-ra UMTaste: Understanding the mechanisms by which umami taste influences salty and bitter taste to enable umami to drive salt reduction and improvement in meat alternative protein foods Maria Jose Oruna-Concha Jessica Adams, Aberystwyth University
Nutrition (human) FBS2024-036-MillsCE-rs Food processing: For better or for worse? The impact of fruit drying on bioactivity, bioaccessibility and bioavailability of polyphenols Charlotte Mills, University of Reading Terri Grassby, University of Surrey
Nutrition (human) FBS2024-037-Methven-rq IEat: Integrating eating behaviour and food choice behaviour into sustainable habits for healthy children Lisa Methven, University of Reading Jayne Woodside, Queen’s University Belfast
Nutrition (human) FBS2024-059-Karani-rs Integrating nutrigenetics, metabolomics, diet, lifestyle, and clinical, biochemical, and social parameters in predicting the risk of metabolic diseases and related traits using artificial intelligence based on machine learning algorithms. Vimal Karani, University of Reading Shelini Surendran, University of Surrey
Nutrition (human) FBS2024-081-Elliott-sr Beyond bone health: a multidisciplinary approach to define the functional effects of vitamin D on genomic stability Ruan Elliott, University of Surrey Marcus Tindall, University of Reading
Nutrition (human) FBS2024-098-Bath-sq Improving iodine intake in adults following a plant-based diet – a mixed methods study Sarah Bath, University of Surrey Jayne Woodside, Queen’s University Belfast
Nutrition (human) FBS2024-103-Ahmadi-sr Improving the nutritional, health and sustainability profile of existing or novel plant/fungi-based foods – A STAR Hub-DTP partnership application Kourosh Ahmadi, University of Surrey Claire Williams, University of Reading
Plant / crop systems FBS2024-014-Stephens-ra A receptor-ligand module with practical applications to improve food production Gary Stephens, University of Reading Maurice Bosch, Aberystwyth University
Plant / crop systems FBS2024-052-Kourmpetli-ca Seed microbiome engineering: a route to sustainable agriculture Sofia Kourmpetli, Cranfield University Faisal Rezwan, Aberystwyth University
Plant / crop systems FBS2024-055-Kirk-cr The mechanisms and genetics of phosphorus-efficiency in crop plants Guy Kirk, Cranfield University John Hammond, University of Reading
Plant / crop systems FBS2024-061-JonesH-ar Harnessing cell permeable peptides to enhance crop development and biochemistry Huw Jones, Aberystwyth University Luke Bell, University of Reading
Plant / crop systems FBS2024-068-Hingley-Wilson-sq Innovative encapsulation approaches for seed protection and longevity Suzie Hingley-Wilson, University of Surrey Linda Oyama, Queen’s University Belfast
Plant / crop systems FBS2024-092-Chadwick-ra Editing out insecticide use: Use of gene editing Eruca sativa for more effective biofumigation Martin Chadwick, University of Reading Huw Jones, Aberystwyth University
Soil systems FBS2024-047-Larionov-cr Multi-omics analysis of nitrogen metabolism by the soil microbial community Alexey Larionov, Cranfield University Tom Sizmur, University of Reading