For DTP Partners
We are inviting project proposals from academic supervisors for studentships starting in the 2024 cohort
The DTP expects to award a maximum of 25 projects in this cohort.
PhD students will receive a full UKRI studentship (including stipend, university fees at UK home student rate, training and contribution to conference costs) for four years. The studentships will be open to individuals eligible for UK home student status and to international students; however the maximum number of studentships that can be awarded to international students in 2023 is seven.
A summary of the call is provided below but please read the 2023-24 FoodBioSystems DTP Project Call Guidance before submitting your proposal.
Applications
Applications (including resubmitted projects from previous rounds) must be made on the FoodBioSystems DTP applications portal https://foodbiosystemsdtp.grantplatform.com. This will close at 12:00 noon on 16 October 2023. Proposals that are submitted by email will not be processed or reviewed.
Scientific scope of projects
FoodBioSystems DTP aims to develop the next generation of bioscientists with in-depth knowledge and technical expertise of food systems and biological processes across the agri-food system from pre-farm to post-fork.
We are running an OPEN CALL where proposals can be submitted across the whole agri-food system.
We therefore anticipate projects within (but not limited to) the following research areas:
- across the food chain projects
- alternative food systems
- animal health and livestock agricultural systems
- consumer focused projects
- decarbonising food systems
- food safety (microbial or other)
- food security
- gut microbiota
- nutrition (human)
- plant / crop systems
- soil systems
Joint studentships with Diamond Light Source
We are particularly interested to receive project proposals that have been developed with our partners at Diamond Light Source under their joint-funded scheme that provides a 50% contribution to studentship costs. Diamond provides high brightness X-ray, infrared and ultra-violet radiation for the investigation of materials and processes at the nano to micron scale. Diamond is ideally suited to investigating hierarchical structures and chemical fingerprints within agricultural systems relevant to food or human nutrition. More information about Diamond’s instruments, techniques and capabilities is available from the website.
Joint studentships will require separate proposals to Diamond and FoodBioSystems DTP. The Diamond call closing date will be 23 October and an application form will be available on the Diamond website.
Applicants submitting joint proposals will have the option, on the DTP application form, to provide extra information so that that the DTP can consider the proposal if Diamond does not award a joint studentship. We will ask for details on how the project will be modified without Dimond as a partner and for an amended budget that does not include the Diamond contribution. The modified proposal can include proposed beamtime at Diamond under the usual arrangements.
BBSRC remit
Project proposals must align with the BBSRC remit and hence be in one or more of the following themes: Bioscience for an integrated understanding of health; Bioscience for Sustainable Agriculture and Food (including the Agriculture and Food Security Research Strategic Framework); Bioscience for renewables & clean growth, Food, Nutrition and Health, Transformative Technologies and Understanding the Rules of Life. Further information about BBSRC research topics is on the BBSRC website. Out of remit projects will not be eligible for funding.
Supervisor eligibility
Full details of supervisor eligibility are detailed in the 2023-24 FoodBioSystems DTP Project Call Guidance . Key points to note about supervisor eligibility requirements are:
- The lead supervisor must be from one of the 6 academic partners (Reading, Cranfield, Queens University Belfast, Aberystwyth, Surrey, or Brunel) and meet BBSRC PI-status. The student will be based at the host department of their lead supervisor and registered as a PhD student at that university. The second supervisor (co-supervisor) must be from another partner university.
- Each supervisor can lead on only one proposal per year, they can however be co-supervisors on other proposals.
- Proposals with lead supervisors who have NOT been in receipt of two FoodBioSystems DTP studentships in the last two consecutive years (i.e. studentships awarded and accepted in 2022 and 2023) will be given priority.
Funding partners
The DTP strongly encourages project proposals for CASE studentships that are developed in partnership with non-academic research partners:
- CASE studentships benefit students by providing access to training, facilities and expertise not available in an academic setting alone. Students benefit from a diversity of approaches with an applied/translational dimension. Students have an opportunity to develop a range of valuable skills and significantly enhance their future employability; the expectation is that many will become research leaders of the future.
- CASE studentships benefit academic / partner organisations by encouraging productive engagement between partners with a high quality doctoral student undertaking cutting-edge research relevant to the organisation’s priorities and objectives. The collaborative training provides opportunities to explore novel research collaborations and strengthen current partnerships.
The DTP also welcomes project proposals that include non-CASE partners who offer match/part funding.
If you are looking for a potential project partner or have queries about project partner eligibility, please contact the DTP Liaison Manager (FBSDTPpartners@cranfield.ac.uk). More information about funding partners is in the FoodBioSystems DTP teams channel for this call.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
- All BBSRC funded studentships must be offered on a part time basis in addition to full time registration. To comply with this rule, all FoodBioSystems DTP projects will be advertised as available for part time registration. Minimum registration is 50% FT and the studentship end date will be extended to reflect the part-time registration.
- Where a project is expected to involve a considerable length of time at the co-supervisor’s university this must be stated in the proposal, alongside details of how any additionally incurred costs will be funded and your provisional plan to support a student who may have restrictions in moving location.
Assessment and Selection of Projects
To continue to rebalance our project distribution across DTP partner universities we will have a target number of studentships to advertise and award from each university. However, the distribution of the advertised and awarded projects will remain dependent on the quality of the projects submitted and of the student applicants. Full details of the assessment and selection process are in the2023-24 FoodBioSystems DTP Project Call Guidance.
DTP Office Contacts
foodbiosystems@reading.ac.uk – enquiries relating to project remit, supervisory teams, EDI, proposal submission portal
FBSDTPpartners@cranfield.ac.uk – enquiries relating to projects with non-academic partners (CASE and match funding).
Call information
Information for the call is held within the Teams space FoodBioSystems Consortium, where the General Channel includes profiles of academics at DTP partner universities, a word document for drafting proposals, a list of non-academic DTP partner organisations and information about Case studentships. If you are unable to access to this Teams space please email foodbiosystems@reading.ac.uk.
To continue to rebalance our project distribution across DTP partner universities we will have a target number of studentships to advertise and award from each university. However, the distribution of the advertised and awarded projects will remain dependent on the quality of the projects submitted and of the student applicants.
More information about current projects, DTP training and the DTP’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion is available on this website.
Selection Committee Contacts
The DTP Selection Committee member at each institute can provide more information to support development of project proposals. Selection Committee members at each institute are:
| Brunel University: Valentina Stojceska | Queens University Belfast: Katerina Theodoridou |
| Aberystwyth University: Paul Shaw | University of Reading: Anisha Wijeyesekera |
| Cranfield University: Guy Kirk | University of Surrey: Ruan Elliott |
DTP Office Contacts
foodbiosystems@reading.ac.uk – enquiries relating to project remit, supervisory teams, EDI, proposal submission portal.
FBSDTPpartners@cranfield.ac.uk – enquiries relating to projects with non-academic partners (CASE and match funding).
Call timeline
| Action | Date/Deadline |
| Pre-call information released | 19 July 2023 |
| Call for project proposals opens | Monday 14 August 2023 |
| Call for project proposals closes | 16 October2023 (noon GMT) |
| Projects sent out for review | 26 October 2023 |
| Selection Committee meets to identify which projects will be advertised | w/c 20 November 2023 |
| Management Committee reviews and ratifies Selection Committee decision | w/c 20 November 2023 |
| Call for student applications opens | 4 December 2023 |
| Closing date for student applications | Monday 22 January 2024 (10.00 am GMT) |
| Shortlisting opens on Good Grants application portal to supervisory teams | Tuesday 6 February 2024 |
| Deadline for supervisors to identify shortlisted candidates | Tuesday 20 February 2024 (noon GMT) |
| Student interview window | 21 February – 6 March 2024 |
| Deadline for supervisors to notify DTP Office of interview outcomes | 7 March 2024 |
| Selection Panel review shortlisted applications | 21 February – 6 March 2024 |
| Selection Committee meets and confirms awards | 14 March 2024 |
| Management Committee ratifies awards | 18 or 19 March 2024 |
| Award/rejection letters sent to shortlisted candidates | 25 March 2024 |