Engineering fitness in disease-resistant crops (GRANDELLIS_E27DTP)
Key details
- Application Deadline
- 30 November 2026 23:59 UK Time
- Location
- Earlham Institute
- Funding Type
- Competition Funded (Home and International)
- Start Date
- 1 October 2027
- Mode of Study
- Full-time
- Programme Type
- PhD
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Project Description
Primary Supervisor - Dr Carolina Grandellis
Engineering crop disease resistance to overcome the growth-defence trade-off
Developing crops that are both productive and resillient is one of the major challenges facing agriculture. While disease-resistance genes can protect plants from devastating pathogens, they often come with a hidden cost: reduced growth and lower yields. This PhD will investigate whether engineering biology can overcome this trade-off by precisely controlling when and where resistance genes are expressed.
You will study resistance to potato cyst nematodes, one of the UK's most important pests. A resistance locus from soybean, Rhg1, can protect against these nematodes, but continuous expression also reduces root growth and tuber yield.
We hypothesise that these impacts result from uncontrolled expression in the wrong tissues or at the wrong time, and that programmable expression could maintain resistance while avoiding these growth and yield costs.
Using world-class automation robotics in the Earlham Biofoundry, you will build and test a regulatory-part library, before applying these tools to redesign Rhg1 constructs and evaluate engineered plants for disease resistance, root architecture and tuber yield.
This highly collaborative PhD brings together engineering biology and laboratory automation expertise from the Grandellis Group at Earlham Institute, with the Witek Group at 2Blades - internationally recognised for research into genetic resistance to crop diseases.
Throughout the project, you will gain training in plant molecular biology, synthetic and engineering biology, automated DNA assembly, Biofoundry technologies, and genetic engineering These highly transferable skills are increasingly sought after in both academic research and the biotechnology sector.
The project will be conducted at the Earlham Institute, a world-class BBSRC research centre of excellence in genomics, engineering and computational biology, and AI. You will join a highly collaborative and supportive research community and have access to training and career development opportunities across the Norwich Research Park through the Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership.
The Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP) is offering fully funded studentships for October 2027 entry. The programme offers postgraduates the opportunity to undertake a 4-year PhD research project whilst enhancing professional development and research skills through a comprehensive training programme. You will join a vibrant community of world-leading researchers. All NRPDTP students undertake a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS) during their study. The placement offers exciting and invaluable work experience designed to enhance professional development. Full support and advice will be provided by our Professional Internship team.
This project has been shortlisted for funding by the NRPDTP. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th February 2027.
Visit our website for further information on eligibility and how to apply: https://biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk
Our partners value diverse and inclusive work environments that are positive and supportive. Students are selected for admission without regard to gender, marital or civil partnership status, disability, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or social background.
To maximise accessibility and attract students from underrepresented groups to our programme we have introduced bespoke templates for applicant Personal and Research statements which will enable every applicant to fully represent themselves through providing suitable examples and evidence. These forms are on the NRPDTP website and must be used for these sections of the application form.
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).
Funding
This project is awarded with a 4-year Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership PhD DTP studentship. The studentship includes payment of tuition fees (directly to the University), a stipend to cover living expenses (2026/27 stipend rate: £21,805, and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000pa for each year of the studentship.