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PhD studentship (funded): Function, biochemistry and development of wettable trapping surfaces in three lineages of carnivorous pitcher plants

University of Exeter - Department of Biological Sciences

Qualification Type: PhD
Location: Exeter
Funding for: UK Students
Funding amount: Up to £20,780 UK tuition fees and an annual tax-free stipend of at least £20,780 per year
Hours: Full Time
Placed On: 13th August 2025
Closes: 15th September 2025
Reference: 5599

Water bounces off lotus leaves but spreads and fully wets the trap rim of carnivorous pitcher plants, turning it into a deadly water slide for insects. This fully funded 4-year PhD project investigates how plants tweak their leaf surfaces to make them fully wettable (“superhydrophilic”), yet waterproof. Utilizing three separate lineages of carnivorous pitcher plants, the project aims to unravel universal principals that govern leaf wettability, thereby paving the way for novel approaches to sustainable pest control in agriculture.

Pitcher plants have independently evolved in three orders of seed plants. Members of all three groups utilize highly wettable, wetness-'activated' slippery surfaces to catch insect prey in modified, cup-shaped leaves. The unusual wettability of these surfaces is based on a combination of chemical hydrophilicity and a specialised micro-texture that further enhances the wettability. Wettable surfaces in all three groups have intricate micro-topographies with striking similarities (such as parallel micro-ridges), but also clear differences (such as presence or absence of trichomes or nectar glands on the surface). This interdisciplinary PhD project investigates (1) the implications of the different topographical features for surface wetting and water spreading, (2) the chemical composition of the cuticle covering these wettable surfaces, and (3) the developmental and genetic underpinnings of surface formation.

The student will join an interdisciplinary research group with a broad interest in plant biomechanics, ecology, development and evolution. The supervisory team comprises plant scientists, cell biologists, bioimaging specialists and physicists, as well as a postdoc with a specific background pitcher plant development, transcriptomics and bioinformatics. Supported by this expert team, the student will characterize the micro-morphology and chemical composition of mature and developing pitcher plant surfaces. Surface replicas with tuneable hydrophilicity will allow the student to disentangle the relative contributions of chemical hydrophilicity and topographical features to wetting and water spreading.

The student will compare gene expression patterns between different surfaces and developmental stages within and across the three independent pitcher plant lineages. Informed by the results of the initial surface characterisation, the student will identify evolutionarily conserved, wettable surface-specific candidate genes with reported function in epidermal and cuticular development. Visualization of gene expression in histological sections of developing wettable surfaces will confirm the spatial association of candidate genes with these surfaces. The project offers a unique opportunity to acquire a broad skill set of biochemical, biophysical, bioimaging and molecular techniques while working with a charismatic carnivorous plant system. It would suit a student with a background in plant science, cell biology, molecular biology or biochemistry. Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to work in an interdisciplinary team are essential. An additional background in physics or experience with practical lab work are advantageous.

Interested students are strongly encouraged to contact the lead supervisor, Dr Ulrike Bauer, to discuss the details of the project ahead of applying.

The funding provided for this studentship cannot be used to recruit students who are classed as International for fees.

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