PhD Studentship: Preserving native biodiversity and wheat production in Bhutan

Primary Supervisor - Prof Diane Saunders

Scientific background 

Bhutan is well-known for its extraordinarily high species richness and endemism rate. With only ~8% of Bhutan’s land being arable, wheat is a staple crop of significant importance. It is among one of the few crops cultivated at high altitudes and holds significant cultural, religious and food security value. Yet, wheat production remains vulnerable to biotic and socio-economic challenges. Bhutan is also considered an important source of novel pathogen diversity for major wheat diseases, which can rapidly spread to other regions. 

The most serious biotic threat is the “polio of agriculture”, the wheat rusts. These fungal pathogens follow a heteroecious lifecycle, reproducing asexually on wheat and sexually on Berberis. Bhutan is a global hotspot for Berberis diversity, which also holds significant cultural and medicinal value in the country. Understanding the relationship between wheat rusts and Berberis is critical for developing disease control strategies for wheat that also safeguard native biodiversity and ecosystem stability. 

Research Methodology 

The main aim of this project is to resolve the conflicting interests of preserving biodiversity while protecting wheat from one of the greatest biotic threats to production, the wheat rusts. The individual will: (i) visit Bhutan to characterise the spatial distribution and species composition of Berberis in major wheat growing areas, (ii) assess the genetic diversity of locally adapted Bhutanese wheat landraces and their typically higher resilience to rust infection, and (iii) develop a spatial model to resolve wheat planting strategies that can be used to safeguard biodiversity and suppress rust outbreaks. 

Training 

You will be embedded in the international and multidisciplinary Saunders Lab at the John Innes Centre, providing opportunities to develop extensive skills in a breadth of areas, including field surveys, plant pathology, molecular biology, and computational biology. Additionally, you will receive training in landscape modelling by research leaders at Exeter University and work with partners at CIMMYT and the Bhutan National Plant Protection Centre. 

Person specification 

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual, excited about applying interdisciplinary techniques to address the critical need to develop multi-functional landscapes that support both food production and conservation. 

Entry Requirements

At least UK equivalence Bachelors (Honours) 2:1. English Language requirement (Faculty of Science equivalent: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category). 

Acceptable first degree: Biology, Ecology (or related) 

Mode of Study

Full-time

Start Date

1 October 2026

Funding Information

ARIES studentships are subject to UKRI terms and conditions. Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded studentship, which covers fees, maintenance stipend (£20,780 p.a. for 2025/26) and a research training and support grant (RTSG). A limited number of studentships are available for international applicants, with the difference between 'home' and 'international' fees being waived by the registering university. Please note, however, that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with relocation to, and living in, the UK, such as visa costs or the health surcharge.  

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