PhD studentship: Fully funded PhD position in Protozoa Bacteria Interaction at the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham

Applicants are invited to apply for a fully funded PhD position (UK home fees only) at the School of Biosciences, University of Birmingham to work on a project funded by an ERC advanced grant. The PhD student will be working in a team composed of three postdoctoral fellows and a research technician under the supervision of Prof. Yin Chen (https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools/biosciences/staff/profile?ReferenceId=206313&Name=professor-yin-chen). This studentship provides funding for tuitions fees (UK student only) and stipend (£19,237 per annum) during the entire course of the study (up to 4 years).

About the project.

Microbes represent the unseen majority of life on Earth, providing crucial ecosystem services to society such as greenhouse gas mitigation. Methanotrophs, microbes that are able to use methane as the sole carbon and energy source, are ubiquitous in the environment, being key players in the global carbon cycle and the mitigation of methane release from the environment. Over the last decade, advances in omics have allowed a better understanding of methanotrophs and their role in greenhouse gas metabolism but our ability to predict how environmental change and biotic controls (such as protozoa) affects their assembly, structure, stability and function in response to climate change is rather limited. In this project, we bring together a novel combination of theoretical elements and a variety of empirical biology approaches to understand methane oxidation in real-world natural freshwater lakes and how methanotroph activity is regulated. The aim of this PhD project is to uncover the intriguing relationship between methanotrophic bacteria and their natural protozoa predators.

Student training.

The successful candidate will join an enthusiastic team that provides a collaborative and supportive environment. Regular group meetings and problem-solving sessions are used to promote teamwork, problem solving and the continual development of a wider knowledge base and skill set. This project will provide high-quality, specialised training in cutting edge omics (proteomics, lipidomics, transcriptomics), modern molecular biology techniques as well as cultivation of model organisms (methanotrophic bacteria, protozoa). The student will be trained in the dissemination of research output through writing scientific papers and patents and presenting at (inter)national conferences. As part of this project, the student will spend some time working at Dr Richard Guillonneau’s lab in France (https://www.univ-nantes.fr/richard-guillonneau), who is an expert in protozoa biology. This will provide the student with valuable experience of working in France and appreciate the beautiful city Nantes.

Candidate Requirements: Good degree (2.1 or 1^st class) in microbiology (BSc or Masters) or related fields. Must be willing to work independently and as part of a research team. The project will suit a candidate who has an interest spending a significant amount of time in Nantes, France (12 months-18 months). Thus, the project will suit a student who enjoys travel and experiencing new cultures.

How to Apply: Applications should be submitted via https://sits.bham.ac.uk/lpages/LES025.htm (select PhD Biosciences FT, Full-time Research, 2024/25). We anticipate the project to start in October 2024, however, the position will remain open until filled.

Reference

Trade-offs of lipid remodeling in a marine predator-prey interaction in response to phosphorus limitation. Guillonneau R, Murphy ARJ, Teng ZJ, Wang P, Zhang YZ, Scanlan DJ, Chen Y. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Sep 6;119(36):e2203057119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2203057119.

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