Ticking clocks, thriving crops: Developing climate-resilient crops through circadian biology (DODD_J24DTP)
Key Details
- Application deadline
- 9 May 2024
- Location
- UEA
- Funding type
- Competition Funded (Home)
- Start date
- October 2024
- Mode of study
- Full-time
- Programme type
- PhD
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Project Overview
Primary supervisor - Professor Antony Dodd
Secondary supervisor - Professor Steve Penfield (JIC)
Climate change poses a significant threat to our food supply, but you can be part of the solution! In this groundbreaking research project, we're investigating how plants adapt to changing seasons and temperatures, with a focus on ensuring robust crop production despite environmental challenges.
You’ll explore the fascinating world of circadian rhythms and their role in shaping the life cycle of winter-grown crops. Using Arabidopsis plants as a model, you'll gain unprecedented insights into how plants respond to seasonal cycles and climate change at a molecular level. You’ll achieve this using a new, unique facility at the John Innes Centre to study physiology, development and gene expression in simulated future climates.
By joining us for a PhD, you’ll work within our circadian biology research group to contribute meaningful research that addresses challenges with a deep impact in food security, for present and future generations. You’ll also develop a broad range of valuable skills and expertise that are applicable to diverse career paths.
Don't miss this opportunity to be at the forefront of innovative plant science, and help shape the future of agriculture. Working in the laboratory of Professor Antony Dodd, in collaboration with Professor Steve Penfield, you’ll conduct world-class research to mitigate the impact of climate change on food production, forging a path towards a greener, more resilient world.
The Norwich Research Park (NRP) Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) is offering fully-funded studentships for October 2024 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. Students with, or expecting to attain, at least an upper second class honours degree, or equivalent, are invited to apply.
This project has been shortlisted for funding by the NRPDTP. Shortlisted applicants will potentially be interviewed on 4, 5, and 6 June 2024.
For further information on eligibility and how to apply please visit here
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.
At least UK equivalence Bachelors (Honours) 2:1 or UK equivalence Master's degree. English Language requirement (Faculty of Science equivalent: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category).
This project is awarded with a 4-year Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NRPDTP) PhD studentship. The studentship includes payment of tuition fees (directly to the University), a stipend to cover living expenses (2023/4 stipend rate: £18,622), and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000pa for each year of the studentship.
Cano-Ramirez DL, Panter PE, Takemura T, de Fraine TS, Dantas LLB, Dekeya R, Barros-Galvao T, Paajanen P, Bellandi A, Batsone T, Manley BF, Tanaka K, Imamura S, Franklin KA, Knight H, Dodd AN (2023). Low-temperature and circadian signals are integrated by the sigma factor SIG5. Nature Plants 9, 661-672.
Simon NML, Graham CA, Comben NE, Hetherington AM, Dodd AN (2020). The circadian clock influences the long-term water use efficiency of Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 183, 317-330.
Belbin FE, Hall GJ, Jackson AB, Schanschieff FE, Archibald G, Formstone C, Dodd AN (2019). Plant circadian rhythms regulate the effectiveness of a glyphosate-based herbicide. Nature Communications 10, article 3704.
Lu X, O'Neill CM, Warner S, Xiong Q, Chen X, Wells R, Penfield S (2022). Winter warming post floral initiation delays flowering via bud dormancy activation and affects yield in a winter annual crop. Proc. Nate. Acad. Sci. USA 119, article e2204355119
O'Neill CM, Lu X, Calderwood A, Tudor EA, Robinson P, Wells R, Morris R, Penfield S (2019). Vernalization and floral transition in autumn drive winter annual life history in oilseed rape. Current Biology 29, 4300-4306.