PhD Studentship: CRISPR/Cas-Enabled Smart Sensors Integration Within Acritical Artificial Cells for Biocomputing

Applications to be received by: 01/11/23

Start date: 01 Feb 2024

Fee status of eligible applicants: Any Fee Status (UK/EU & RoW)

Duration of Award: 3 years

Supervisors- 1^st Supervisor: Dr Zhugen Yang   

The DBA course is four years and the EngD courses are four years, full-time.

Sponsorship

Sponsored by BioBit International Programme of Zhejiang Lab, this studentship will provide a bursary of up to £18,000 (tax free) plus tuition fees for three years for UK students (The total funds can be converted to cover oversee students’ tuition and stipends for less than three years and details will be discussed on individual case for overseas candidate).

Type of opportunity

Fully-funded studentship

Nature is surrounded by living organisms, small molecules, analytes which are considered as potential markers of human disease, pullulation or indicator for the transmissible source. Conventual detection methods mainly depend on nucleic-acid, antibody-based and electrochemically based sensor, but it is challenging to fully utilize these approaches to detect potential marker due to different tradeoffs and complicated sample environment. However, with the expansion of synthetic biology, it is possible to build a biological-based system equipped with CRISPR-Cas, genetic circuits and biocomputing as alternative to resolve the previous limitations and expand the improved biosensing platform into a broader field including public health, food health, agriculture etc.

We have recently established an Advanced Sensors Laboratory funded by UKCRIC, and this dedicated laboratory is the centre of the world-class research into sensors and their uses in water and the water industry being conducted at Cranfield. The advanced sensors group (led by Dr Zhugen Yang) aims to explore multiciliary approach to advance sensor technology and address global challenges in water-environment-health nexus. The projects underway involve aspects of diverse disciplines, ranging from synthetic biology, microfluidics, biosensing, chemistry, environmental, biomedical and analytical science to nanotechnology.

This project aims to further improve the performance of our device (in terms of multiplexing pathogens, detecting antimicrobial resistance and improving ease of use) with new engineering approaches, and evidence their impact so that they can find widespread application in both rural and urban environments, together with CRISPRS/Cas system and synthetic biological tools.

The student will be engaging with a multidisciplinary team to learn advanced sensor technology and interact with stakeholders (e.g., University of Edinburgh, Zhejiang University and Zhejiang Lab in China) to disseminate the research output. The funding supports travel throughout the project to meet with the collaborators, along with opportunities to attend and present results at international conferences (e.g., Biosensors Congress). Cranfield University are leading a UK water and wastewater network, as well as involved water sensors network, involving academic, industrial and public sector organisations.

Entry requirements

Applicants should have a first- or second-class UK honours degree or equivalent in a related discipline. This project would suit students with a background biosensor, microfluidics, synthetic biology, analytical chemistry, molecular biology, microbiology or engineering. 

For further information please contact: Zhugen Yang
Name: Zhugen Yang
Email: zhugen.yang@cranfield.ac.uk 
T: (0) 1234 758 310

Academic profile link: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/people/dr-zhugen-yang-23276478        

If you are eligible to apply for this studentship, please complete the online application form accessed via the above Apply button.

Keywords: paper device, sensors, microfluidics,  water quality, pathogens, AMR

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