Projects starting in autumn 2024

We’re looking forward to welcoming our 2024 cohort of researchers who will be working on 32 projects that span the food system from farm to fork.  Find out more about the projects in the table below.

Project descriptions

All advertised projects are listed in the table below.

Research area	Project number	Project title	Lead Supervisor / University	Co-Supervisor / University
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
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	FBS2024-030-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	FBS2024-041-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	FBS2024-093-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	FBS2024-095-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 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	FBS2024-044-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
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
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)	FBS2024-029-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)	FBS2024-037-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)	FBS2024-098-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
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	FBS2024-061-JonesH-ar	Harnessing cell permeable peptides to enhance crop development and biochemistry	Huw Jones, Aberystwyth University	Luke Bell, University of Reading
Plant / crop systems	FBS2024-092-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