PhD Studentship: Biotechnology in the Home: Reducing Pollution Through Bio-Based Wastewater Management, CASE Project with Challs International

Qualification type: PhD

Location: Essex

Funding for: UK Students, EU Students, International Students

Funding amount: All UKRI-funded PhD students (UK, EU, International) will be eligible for the full award – both the stipend to support living costs, and fees at research organisations UK rate. UKRI funding will not cover international fees set by universities, but all ARIES partners have agreed to fund the top-up from UK to international fees. ARIES funding will not cover costs associated with visa or health surcharges, or additional costs associated with entry to, and living in the UK.

Hours: Full Time

Closes: 7 January 2026, 23:59 GMT

Application link: https://www.essex.ac.uk/postgraduate/research/doctoral-training-partnerships/aries

ARIES (Advanced Research and Innovation in the Environmental Sciences) is a Doctoral Landscape Award with the mission “to train postgraduate research students with excellent potential from across society, equipping them with the necessary skills to become 21st Century Scientists: leaders in the science and sustainable business of the natural environment.

Scientific background

The declining condition of UK rivers and streams has been well-publicised in recent years, with headlines including a 60% year-on-year increase in pollution incidents between 2023 and 2024. Water treatment companies are accused of failing to properly manage infrastructure. However we forget that most pollution originates in the ~30 million UK homes and we must all play a role in safeguarding the environment. By introducing new technologies into the home, and modifying consumer behaviour, the environmental impact of some domestic pollutants (e.g. cleaning products) can be minimised at source.

Research methodology

Working with local company Challs International, manufacturer of the ‘Drain Buster’ line of products, you will investigate a new approach to domestic drain maintenance. Rather than relying on aggressive cleaners to physically disrupt blockages and wash them downstream, where they may cause bigger problems, you will instead work with the biology of the system to identify beneficial microorganisms and design ‘probiotic’ drain communities that can prevent blockages, eliminating the need for aggressive chemical cleaners. You will work with home-owners to imagine new ways to integrate a low-impact maintenance mindset into their daily routine.

Training

The research will involve construction of a laboratory-scale testbed to replicate domestic drains in different conditions. You will build this system and use it to test different treatments and new products, analysing microbial communities using molecular methods (e.g. qPCR), confocal microscopy and optical coherence tomography. You will culture and identify bacterial isolates, and combine them into beneficial communities. You will work jointly between the University of Essex and the research team at Challs International to deliver novel research findings and translate these into new commercial products.

Person specification

You will have a degree or equivalent industry experience in a life/environmental sciences subject, or at the interface between science and engineering. You will be a confident independent worker, with team support, and passionate about translating basic research into real-world impact. A problem-solving mindset and willingness to depart from established approaches will be essential.

Acceptable first degree subjects: Any biological science degree, environmental science degree or environment-focused engineering degree.

To apply, please click on the ‘Apply’ button above.

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