Supervisors
Professor Elizabete Carmo-Silva, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University
Professor Bobby Graham, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast
Dr Doug Orr, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University
Project Summary
Rubisco catalyses the first step during conversion of carbon from CO2 into biomass. Because of inefficiencies associated with the regulation of Rubisco activity (e.g. Amaral et al. 2024), Rubisco frequently limits carbon assimilation and has become a target for crop improvement. This project will use soybean and cowpea plants engineered to overexpress Rubisco and Rubisco activase—produced during the RIPE project—to investigate the effectiveness of the engineering strategies, their impact on plant metabolic pathways and overall plant performance.
Training in crop physiology and biochemistry for phenotyping of genetically engineered plants and proteomic analysis for studying metabolic pathways and their impact on crop growth and performance will provide the student with well-rounded training and expertise that goes beyond photosynthesis.
This project is ideal for students who are curious about Rubisco and plant protein biochemistry. Distinct advantages are a growth mindset, desire to learn and advance our understanding of crop photosynthesis and metabolic regulation. We operate as a team and embrace a set of shared values: Ethical high-impact research; Teamwork; Respect for everyone and the environment; Safe, clean, tidy and functional workspaces. Please consult the Lancaster Rubisco and Bioengineering group webpage for more information and reach out for enquiries (e.carmosilva@lancaster.ac.uk).
Application process
Open for applications from non-UK applicants from 1 October to 30 November 2026
Open for applications from UK-based applicants from 2 November to 4 January 2027
Supervisors
Richard Bardgett, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University
Mark Emmerson, School Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast
Project Summary
This studentship will investigate how changes in the structure and diversity of complex soil food webs influence soil functioning, plant growth and plant resilience to climate extremes, with a particular focus on drought in agricultural grasslands. It will test whether regenerative farming practices enhance soil functioning and plant resilience to climate change by increasing the diversity, complexity and stability of soil food webs. The research will combine controlled environment and field experiments using soils from the long-term Colt Park grassland experiment in the Yorkshire Dales. State-of-the-art genomic, biogeochemical and energetic food-web modelling approaches will be integrated to quantify changes in soil communities, nutrient flows, soil functions and plant trait responses to drought, above and below-ground. The research will ultimately establish whether a food web-based approach can inform agricultural management and support resilient, sustainable grassland production.
The student will develop interdisciplinary expertise in soil ecology, ecological food-web theory, regenerative agriculture and plant-soil interactions. They will gain practical experience in designing and conducting controlled-environment and field experiments, including drought manipulation and assessment of soil and plant responses. Training will include advanced genomic and molecular techniques for characterising soil communities, biogeochemical methods for measuring nutrient transfers to plants, and quantitative modelling of complex ecological systems, including food web and stability analyses. The student will also develop skills in statistical analysis, experimental design, data interpretation, scientific communication and translating findings into evidence-based agricultural management recommendations.
Application process
Open for applications from non-UK applicants from 1 October to 30 November 2026
Open for applications from UK-based applicants from 2 November to 4 January 2027
https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/doctoraltraining/northwestbio/projects/planthealthresilienceyieldandgrowth/richardbardgett/
Supervisors
Dr Marta Shocket, Lancaster University
Dr Barbara Shih, Lancaster University
Dr Alexandre Benedetto, Lancaster University
Dr Francesco Baldini, School of Biodiversity, University of Glasgow
Summary
Mosquito-borne diseases are a major public health burden, and their patterns of transmission are currently shifting in response to climate change. The ability of mosquitoes to adapt to climate change is poorly understood, and current models for transmission of mosquito-borne diseases under future climates do not incorporate evolution. This project will use molecular genetics and trait-based modelling approaches to study climate adaptation in mosquitoes, including Anopheles gambiae, the principal African vector of malaria. This project will provide insight into how mosquitoes might adapt to climate change and help to inform long-term strategies for malaria control.
Aim 1: Ecoinformatics - Generating parameters for evolutionary rescue models
The student will re-analyse existing thermal performance data from Anopheles, Culex, and Aedes mosquitoes to generate estimates of selection intensity and phenotypic variance, two factors that are used in evolutionary rescue models to predict adaptation rates.
Aim 2: Bioinformatics - Linking climate variables to genetic features from sequencing data
The student will derive genetic variations from whole genome Anopheles gambiae sequencing data and determine if metrics related to climate are associated with greater population-level genetic diversity or specific genetic variants.
Application process
Open for applications from non-UK applicants from 1 October to 30 November 2026
Open for applications from UK-based applicants from 2 November to 4 January 2027
https://www.gla.ac.uk/postgraduate/doctoraltraining/northwestbio/projects/pathogens/martashocket/
Location: UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), Lancaster, with registration at Lancaster University (Lancaster Environment Centre)
Supervisors: Dr Sam Harrison (UKCEH, lead), Dr Sarah Roberts (UKCEH), Dr Andrew Sweetman (Lancaster University)
Eligibility: UK students only
Start date: January 2027
About the project
Bio-based materials are central to the move away from fossil fuels, and are often seen as safe and sustainable by default. However, producing, using and disposing of them can release complex and poorly characterised mixtures of chemicals into the environment. Current risk assessment cannot properly capture these releases. It mostly considers one substance at a time, focuses on river and lakes, and rarely asks what pollution means for biodiversity and ecosystem services.
This PhD is part of Bio-Emissome, a Horizon Europe project with 12 partners across Europe. The project is developing tools to make sure the next generation of bio-based products is safe for people and the planet, from field to factory to end of life.
The student will work at the core of the project’s risk and impact assessment work package. Their focus will be the ENRICH (Environmental Risks and Impacts of Chemicals) framework, developed by UKCEH (Roberts et al., 2026). ENRICH goes beyond asking whether a chemical is toxic, instead assessing the broader impacts of pollution on critical services such as biodiversity, soil fertility and food production. ENRICH is currently the state of the art for this kind of assessment, but it has only been applied to aquatic systems and single chemicals. There are several directions in which the student could lead the project and extend ENRICH, such as terrestrial ecosystems (how pollution impacts the soils we depend on) and chemical mixtures (how cocktails of chemicals interact and cause impacts).
The extended framework will be applied to four real industrial case studies, from biodegradable mulch films to sugarcane-derived feedstocks, giving the student a direct hand in making everyday products safer. The student will work closely with ecotoxicologists and modellers across the consortium, including in Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.
Training and environment
The student will be based in UKCEH’s Environmental Pollution group in Lancaster (with a possibility of being situated in the UKCEH Wallingford office, if this is preferred). The Lancaster Environment Centre in which UKCEH sits is one of the largest concentrations of environmental science expertise in the UK. The student will gain hands-on experience and training in relevant subjects, such as ecotoxicology and mixture risk assessment and environmental fate and exposure modelling.
They will join a large international consortium, with plenty of opportunity to travel. This includes twice-yearly project meetings across Europe and international conferences such as SETAC Europe (Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry). Their research will help shape EU and UK policy to reduce chemical pollution.
Who we are looking for
We welcome applicants with a first or upper-second class degree (or equivalent) and/or a relevant Master’s degree in environmental science, ecology, ecotoxicology, chemistry, physics or a related quantitative discipline. Experience of, or a strong interest in, data analysis and programming (e.g. Python or R) is desirable. Applicants should be keen to work at the interface between ecotoxicology, chemistry and modelling, and to collaborate in a large international team.
Funding notes
This studentship is funded through the Horizon Europe Bio-Emissome project. It covers a tax-free stipend at the standard UKRI rate (currently £21,805 per year) and tuition fees for UK students for 3.5 years.
How to apply
Informal enquiries are welcome. Please contact Dr Sam Harrison (sharrison@ceh.ac.uk).
Deadline for applications:
Application process
- Download the LEC Funded PhD/MSc-R Application Form and LEC Funded PhD/MSc-R Reference Form
- Complete the Application Form, renaming the document with your 'Name and Application Form' e.g., Joe Bloggs Application Form.
- Submit the completed Application Form and a CV to lec.pgr.applications@lancaster.ac.uk
- Please note only Word or pdf files are accepted.
- Rename the referee form with your ‘Name and Reference’, e.g., Joe Bloggs Reference. Send the renamed reference form to two referees and request them to forward the referee document to lec.pgr.applications@lancaster.ac.uk
- Please note only Word or pdf files are accepted. It is important that you ensure references are submitted by the closing date or as soon as possible.
- You will receive a generic acknowledgement in receipt of successfully sending the application documents.
- Please note that only applications submitted as per these instructions will be considered.
- Please note that, if English is not your first language, you will be required to provide evidence of your proficiency in English. This evidence is only required if you are offered a funded PhD and is not required as part of this application process.
- Please note that, if you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date then you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. If you would like feedback on your application, please contact the supervisors of the project.
Submit all applications and references to this email address:
