PhD Studentship in Renewable Energy: Enhanced biohydrogen production using synthetic biology in extremophiles

Award Summary

100% fees covered, and a minimum tax-free annual living allowance of £17,668 (2022-23 UKRI rate). 

Overview

The EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) in Renewable Energy Northeast Universities (ReNU) is a collaborative doctoral training programme run by the Universities of Northumbria, Newcastle and Durham. In addition to undertaking an individual scientific research project described below at one of the three partner Universities, doctoral candidates will engage with added value training opportunities for example in business, innovation and internationalisation through a 4-year training programme that has been designed to maximise the benefits of a cohort approach to doctoral training.

Biohydrogen is an important source of alternative clean and sustainable fuel. This project will identify how hydrogen is produced by novel bacteria from extremophile environments. We will dissect the metabolic pathways, including the enzymes and metabolites produced, involved in the conversion of cheap materials, such as food waste and lignocellulosic materials, to biohydrogen. In this sense, we will employ a multiOMICS approach (including transcriptomics, metabolomics, or proteomics) in hydrogen producing bacteria, from important species isolated from thermal spots and hot springs among other sources. We will use waste agricultural materials for these microbes exploiting them to produce hydrogen as end-product. When we identified the proteins and metabolic pathways involved in the process, we will employ protein engineering/ structure-based mutagenesis, as well as metabolic engineering and direct evolution to improve those pathways. At the end of the PhD, you will gain the ability to recognize the enzymology behind the hydrogen production, genetically manipulate these extremophiles and test the hydrogen produced in fuel testing if the quantity obtained is satisfactory.

Number Of Awards

1

Start Date

18 Sept 2023

Award Duration

4 years

Application Closing Date

6 Mar 2023

Sponsor

EPSRC

Supervisors

Leonardo Rios Solis (Newcastle University), Jose Muñoz (Northumbria University)

Eligibility Criteria

You must have, or expect to gain, a minimum 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent in a relevant subject or subject relevant to the proposed PhD project. Enthusiasm for research, the ability to think and work independently, excellent analytical skills and strong verbal and written communication skills are also essential requirements. 

Home and international applicants (inc. EU) are welcome to apply and if successful will receive a full studentship. Applicants whose first language is not English require an IELTS score of 6.5 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in all sub-skills. 

International applicants may require ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance.

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal  

Once registered select ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’.   

Use ‘Course Search’ to identify your programme of study:  

• search for the ‘Course Title’ using the programme code: 8208F
• select ‘PhD Energy Materials (full time)' as the programme of study 

You will then need to provide the following information in the ‘Further Questions’ section:  

• a ‘Personal Statement’ (this is a mandatory field) - upload a document or write a statement directly in to the application form  
• the studentship code renu2306 in the ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’ field  

when prompted for how you are providing your research proposal - select ‘Write Proposal’. You should then type in the title of the research project from this advert. You do not need to upload a research proposal. 

Contact Details

leo.rios@newcastle.ac.uk

Advert information