PhD projects

Project	Supervisor	Keywords	hide Departments	Departments
Adaptation to environmental change	Nichols, Prof Richard	Adaptation, Evolution, Environmental change, Genomics, Endangered species, Conservation, Mathematical modelling, Statistics	Biology	Biology
Aryne-mediated metal-free C(sp3)-H bond functionalisation	Jones, Dr Christopher	Organic chemistry, Synthetic chemistry, Drug discovery, Sustainability, Materials	Chemistry	Chemistry
Aryne-mediated synthesis of biologically active heterocycles	Jones, Dr Christopher	Organic chemistry, Pharmaceutical chemistry, Synthetic chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
Centromere inheritance in S. pombe and beyond	Subramanian, Dr Lakxmi	Biochemistry, Cell biology/development, Evolution, Genetics, Microbiology, Molecular biology	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
Cognition in insects	Chittka, Prof Lars	Counting, Intelligence, Tool use, Planning, Metacognition, Emotion, Bees	Psychology	Psychology
Comparative Cognition	Versace, Dr Elisabetta	Animal/Artificial intelligence, Evolution, Cognition, Comparative psychology	Psychology	Psychology
Comparative physiology and evolution of neuropeptide signalling	Elphick, Prof Maurice	Neurobiology, Evolution, Echinoderms, Bioinformatics, Genomics, Transcriptomics, Peptidomics, Molecular histology	Biology	Biology
Computational modeling of photo-phenomena in condensed phase	Crespo-Otero, Dr Rachel	Biophysics, Computational chemistry, Materials science, Physical chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
Computational modelling of protein dynamics in heart disease	Fornili, Dr Arianna	Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Computational chemistry, Pharmaceutical chemistry, Physical chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
Computational simulations of molecular switches	Crespo-Otero, Dr Rachel	Biophysics, Computational chemistry, Materials science, Physical chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
Contextual information in adaptation	Mareschal, Dr Isabelle	Neuroscience	Psychology	Psychology
The contradictory functions of carotenoid-based light-harvesters: Understanding energy harvesting and dissipation in the Fucoxanthin-Chlorophyll Protein (FCP)	Duffy, Dr Christopher	Biophysics, Applied mathematics, Computational chemistry, Photosynthesis, Structural biology, Quantum dynamics	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
Data science & machine learning for genomic analysis	Wurm, Dr Yannick	Genomics, Data science, Machine learning, Genetics, Bioinformatics, Software engineering	Biology	Biology
Designing peptide and small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of Gram-negative bacterial infections	Main, Dr Ewan	Biochemistry, Biophysics, Structural biology, Type III Secretion System, Antibiotic resistance	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
Developing novel drugs to target Chagas disease	Wilkinson, Dr Shane	Chagas disease, Trypanosoma, Nitroreductase, DNA repair, Interstrand crosslink, Prodrugs	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
Developing prodrugs to target neglected tropical diseases	Wilkinson, Dr Shane	Chagas disease, Trypanosoma, Nitroreductase, DNA repair, Interstrand crosslink, Prodrugs	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
Developing novel drugs to target Leishmaniasis	Wilkinson, Dr Shane	Leishmaniasis, Nitroreductase, DNA repair, Interstrand crosslink, Prodrugs	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
Developing novel synthetic strategies for the synthesis of metallic ceramics at lower temperature	Giordano, Dr Cristina	Materials chemistry, Nanotechnology, Physical chemistry, Synthesis	Chemistry	Chemistry
Development and characterization of new energy materials	Abrahams, Dr Isaac	Electrochemistry, Inorganic chemistry Materials science	Chemistry	Chemistry
Dissecting the role of MCE proteins in Cyanobacteria	Darbari, Dr Vidya	Biochemistry, Structural biology, X-ray crystallography, Cryo-electron microscopy	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
Diversity Oriented Synthesis via the Harnessing of Multiple Reactive Intermediates	Jones, Dr Christopher	Ogranic chemistry, Synthetic chemistry, Drug discovery, Sustainability, Materials, Catalysis	Chemsitry	Chemistry
Dynamic interactions between people in complex decision making contexts	Osman, Dr Magda	Psychology, Behaviour, Mental model, Decision making	Psychology	Psychology
The ecology of flower colour choice in bees	Chittka, Prof Lars	Pollination, Insects, Learning, Sensory Systems, Cognition, Perception	Psychology	Psychology
Electrocatalysts in Nanotubes: A Nanotechnology Computational and Experimental Approach	Di Tommaso, Dr Devis	Computational chemistry, Environmental chemistry, Materials science, Physical chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
Epigenetics of Prenatal Reprogramming in the Zebra Finch	Clayton, Prof David	Neuroscience, Development, Behaviour, Gene expression, Adaptation	Psychology	Psychology
Exploring the impact of plant genome size on community structure dependent on soils and underlying geology	Leitch, Prof Andrew	Botany/Plant science, Cell biology/development, Ecology, Conservation, Genetics	Biology	Biology
Evolutionary genomics in ants	Wurm, Dr Yannick	Genetics, Social evolution, Next generation sequencing, Bioinformatics	Biology	Biology
The evolution of immunity in species exposed to invading pathogens	Knell, Dr Rob	Ecology, Conservation, Evolution, Parasitology, Immunity	Biology	Biology
Functional Nanostructures: Nanotechnology for Electronics, Sensing and Renewable Energy	Palma, Dr Matteo	Nanoscience, Nanostructure assembly, Biosensing, Nanoelectronics, Microscopy, Devices	Chemistry	Chemistry
The genomic basis of host-symbiont dependency	Henry, Dr Lee	Insects, Bioinformatics, Molecular biology, Evolution, Microbes	Biology	Biology
G-Protein Coupled Receptors as therapeutic targets in drug discovery	Howell, Dr Lesley	Medicinal chemistry, Pharmaceutical chemistry, Synthetic chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
The Honey Bee: An Emerging Model for Epigenetics	Hurd, Dr Paul	Honey bee, Epigenetics, Genomics, Nutrition, Development	Biochemisry	Biochemistry
How do human cells ensure the accurate segregation of chromosomes?	Draviam, Prof Viji	Biochemistry, Cancer/Oncology, Cell biology/development, Genetics, Molecular biology	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
Identification of inhibitors of the pro-survival protein Mcl-1	Howell, Dr Lesley	Medicinal chemistry, Pharmaceutical chemistry, Synthetic chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
Improved computational methods for quantitative proteomics	Bessant, Prof Conrad	Analytical chemistry, Biochemistry, Applied mathematics, Bioinformatics, Computer science, Data analysis, Software engineering	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
Ion-Selective Organic Materials for Bioelectronic Applications	Nielsen, Dr Christian	Organic chemistry, Materials chemistry, Synthetic chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
Integrating fossils and genomes to elucidate the evolutionary history of species through time	Dos Reis Barros, Dr Mario	Evolutionary biology, Genomics, Phylogenetics, Palaeontology, Molecular clock, Bayesian analysis, Fossil record	Biology	Biology
Light-driven Fe-catalysed reduction of C-C multiple bondsAn approximation to the direct use of alkenes and alkynes as nucleophilic alkyl-/alkenyl- synthons	Cambeiro, Dr Xacobe	Organic chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
Loneliness and its effects on vision and decision making	Mareschal, Dr Isabelle	Psychology, Mental health, Cognitive psychology	Psychology	Psychology
Luminescent metal complexes for optoelectronics based on fluorinated organic ligands	Wyatt, Dr Peter	Organic Synthesis, Photonic Materials, Organofluorine, Luminescence, Optoelectronics	Chemistry	Chemistry
Magnetic metal carbides and nitrides as alternative materials for bio-related applications	Giordano, Dr Cristina	Materials chemistry, Nanotechnology, Physical chemistry, Synthesis	Chemistry	Chemistry
Mechanisms that drive aneuploidy in cancers	Draviam, Prof Viji	Biochemistry, Cancer/Oncology, Cell Biology/Development, Data Analysis	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
Metal catalysed activation of dioxygen (air) for selective substrate oxidation	Sheriff, Dr Tippu	Selective Oxidation, Dioxygen, Hydrogen Peroxide, Catalysis, Green Chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
Modelling of hybrid nanostructures for nanoelectronics and renewable energy applications	Crespo-Otero, Dr Rachel and Palma, Dr Matteo	Biophysics, Computational chemistry, Materials science, Physical chemistry,	Chemistry	Chemistry
Modelling the insect brain	Chittka, Prof Lars	Neuroscience, Computational neuroscience, Neural networks, Artificial intelligence	Pscyhology	Psychology
Molecular adaptations underpinning dietary specialisations in wild vertebrates	Rossiter, Prof Stephen	Evolution, Genetics, Zoology, Diet, Mammals, Birds	Biology	Biology
Molecular diagnostics for pollinator health	Wurm, Dr Yannick	Ecology, Ecosystems, Molecular diagnostics, Pollination, Crop production	Biology	Biology
Molecular genetics of psychiatric disease	Brennan, Prof Caroline	Bioinformatics, genes, psychiatric disease, Zebrafish	Psychology	Psychology
Neural dynamics of learning from feedback: tracking and affecting subjective feedback evaluation	Di Bernardi Luft, Dr Caroline	Electrophysiology, Signal processing, Artificial intelligence, Brain stimulation	Psychology	Psychology
Neuronal control of appetite and neurodegeneration	Brennan, Prof Caroline and Chan, Dr Li	Neurobiology, Neurodegeneration, Cognition, Behaviour, Zebrafish	Psychology	Psychology
New microbial quality testing for drinking water device	Zarbakhsh, Dr Ali	Environmental chemistry, Materials science, Physical chemistry	Chemistry	Chemistry
New tools for conservation: dissecting the relative contribution of genetic and epigenetic changes to adaptive evolution	Eizaguirre, Dr Christophe	Ecology and conservation, Evolution, Genetics	Biology	Biology
Protein Misfolding and the Molecular Basis of Alzheimer’s Disease	Viles, Dr John	Biochemistry, Neurodegeneration, Protein mis-folding	Biochemistry	Biochemistry
The role of beneficial microbes in insect adaptation	Henry, Dr Lee	Evolution, Bioinformatics, Molecular biology, Statistics	Biology	Biology
Sea turtles' resilience to climate change	Eizaguirre, Dr Christophe	Ecology and conservation, Evolution, Genetics, Marine biology	Biology	Biology
Self-assembled block copolymers as drug delivery systems for skin treatments	Resmini, Prof Marina	Nanomaterials, Drug delivery, Self-assembled nanoparticles, Dermal delivery	Chemistry	Chemistry
Sex, Chromosomes, and Brain	Clayton, Prof David	Zebra finch, Genomics, Neuroscience, Cell biology,	Psychology	Psychology
Social dynamic decision making	Osman, Dr Magda	Psychology, Neuroscience	Psychology	Psychology
Social learning in bees - how do pollinators learn from each other?	Chittka, Prof Lars	Cognition, Communication, Consciousness, Memory, Insects, Social organisation	Psychology	Psychology
Social Groups, Resilience, Health and Well-being	Jones, Dr Janelle	Social groups, Identity, Mental health, Stress, Resilience, Well-being, Psychophysics, Psychoneuroendocrinology	Psychology	Psychology
Spatial orientation of bees in the field and the laboratory	Chittka, Prof Lars	Radar tracking, Cognitive maps, Learning, Memory, Landmarks, Navigation	Psychology	Psychology
Synthesis of chiral heterocycles through Pd-catalysed allylic alkylation processes	Arseniyadis, Dr Stellios	Organic chemistry, Synthetic tools, Catalysis	Chemistry	Chemistry
Towards an innovative and sustainable chemistry	Arseniyadis, Dr Stellios	Organic chemistry, Synthesis, DNA-based catalysis	Chemistry	Chemistry
Uncovering 3D genome architecture in annelid worms	Martin-Duran, Dr Chema	Bioinformarics, Cell biology/development, Evolution, Invertebrates, Genomics, Statistics, Molecular biology	Biology	Biology

Areas of study

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