Details
About the Project
The ACCE DTP is committed to recruiting extraordinary future scientists regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, faith or religious belief, pregnancy or maternity, parental or caring responsibilities or career pathway to date. We understand that a student’s potential can be shown in many ways and we strive to recruit students from all backgrounds, and support them on their scientific journey.
We have designed our application systems to identify candidates who are likely to be successful in research regardless of what opportunities may have been available to them prior to their application.
Various support and guidance on applying for an ACCE DTP studentship, including how to apply; what we’re looking for (including our assessment rubric); details of financial support, training, and placement opportunities available; and details of our recruitment process, can be found at accedtp.ac.uk, in the ‘prospective applicants’ tab.
Project Overview
Climate change and land management are altering soil biogeochemical cycles with consequences for soil-climate feedbacks, including changing the balance of sequestered carbon (C) versus respired C (as CO2). Soil microbial communities regulate this important feedback to climate. Our grassland Free Air Carbon Enrichment (FACE) experiment, running at our Peak District field station, has identified that both soil phosphorus and soil type (acid v calcareous) play a major regulating role in how grassland productivity responds to elevated CO2, with control exerted through alterations in microbial C and P enzyme activity.
We therefore hypothesise that: Below-ground responses to elevated CO2 are dependent on soil pH and nutrient limitation through altering soil microbial community composition (relative activity of different groups) and functionality (C, N, and P cycling pathways).
Objectives
1. Investigate the in-situ contribution of soil microbes to soil nutrient cycling under contrasting land management regimes (long-term field station)
2. Identify the interaction of soil type, elevated CO2, and nutrient availability on microbial nutrient cycling (Bradfield field trial)
The student will join the Lidbury lab, who have recently published one of the first rhizosphere (soil) metaproteomes and identified key soil P and C cycling enzymes in bacteria, using genetics and molecular biology. These approaches and knowledge will be combined with expertise in soil fungi and nitrogen cycling (Hodge, York), and in soil-ecosystem processes (Phoenix, Sheffield). Metaproteomics (enzyme production) is the next frontier of microbiome research and can transform our understanding of soil function compared to less informative approaches, such as metagenomics (genetic potential) and metatranscriptomics (gene expression). Thus, applying metaproteomics to understand climate-soil feedback represents cutting-edge research tackling a global issue.
Essential Crteria
- Microbial ecology
- Molecular biology
- Problem solving
Desirable Criteria
- Soil biology/microbiology
- Computational skills (bioinformatics)
- Climate change
How to Apply
Notes and details of how to apply are available here: https://accedtp.ac.uk/phd-opportunities/
All applicants to ACCE must complete the ACCE personal statement proforma. This is instead of a personal/supporting statement or cover letter. The proforma is designed to standardise this part of the application to minimise the difference between those who are given support and those who are not. Candidates should also submit a cv and the contact details of 2 referees.
Informal enquiries may be made to [email protected]
Part-Time Study Options
All ACCE PhDs are available as part time or full time, with part time being a minimum of 50% of full time. Please discuss potential part time arrangements with the primary supervisor before applying to the programme.
Project CASE Status
This project is not a CASE project. While individual applicant quality is our overriding criterion for selection, the ACCE DTP has a commitment for 40% of all studentships to be CASE funded - as such, CASE projects may be favoured in shortlisting applicants when candidates are otherwise deemed to be equal or a consensus on student quality cannot be reached. This will only be done as a last resort for separating candidates.
Funding Information
NERC ACCE DTP programme starts from October 2024.
UKRI provide the following funding for 3.5 years:
• Stipend (2023/24 UKRI rate £18,622)
• Tuition Fees at UK fee rate (2023/24 rate £4,712)
• Research support and training grant (RTSG)
Note - UKRI funding only covers UK (Home) fees. The DTP partners have various schemes which allow international students to join the DTP but only be required to pay home fees. Home fees are already covered in the UKRI funding, meaning that successful international candidates do not need to find any additional funding for fees.