BARIToNE: Genetic control of skinning in a changing climate (Project code 25A)

Supervisors

Lead supervisor - Dr Chiara Campoli, James Hutton Institute

Second supervisor - Dr Sarah McKim, University of Dundee

Industry supervisor - Dr Paulina Okoro, Scotch Whisky Research Institute

Location

This project will be based at the James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie and the appointed student will register at University of Dundee as the degree awarding institution.

The project

This four-year PhD studentship is fully funded by the BARIToNE Collaborative Training Partnership (from Sept. 2025) and offered in partnership between the James Hutton Institute, the University of Dundee and the Scotch Whisky Research Institute.

This project is based at the James Hutton Institute (JHI), a global leader in cereal genetics and home of the International Barley Hub (IBH), a £62 million investment in cereal research.

The project aims to gain more insight into the genetic control of “skinning”, a critical barley grain quality trait. The barley grain is normally tightly enclosed in a protective hull; however in some circumstances, the hull can partially shed, leading to skinned grain. This has detrimental effects on barley malting quality and an economic impact on the barley supply chain. Skinning can be worsened by growing conditions, such as overly wet spells, meaning that the weather extremes in the changing climate will influence this trait. There is also a genetic component to this trait, with some varieties being more prone to skinning than others. However, research into the genetic control of skinning is complicated by the year-to-year variation and little is understood about the processes leading to poor hull adhesion.

In this project, you will study skinning in barley using three gene variants known as seminudoides (smn) that exhibit a reduced adherence to the grain i.e. always show skinning. You will identify the gene(s) underlying these variants using the genomic and genetic resources available at IBH/JHI. Additionally, you will use the latest molecular and microscopy approaches to reveal the impact of structural, chemical and developmental processes on skinning. The identification and characterisation of these genes will pinpoint the processes important for hull adherence including the co-ordination of hull and grain growth. This work will be extended to field work and ultimately, will be used to evaluate the role of varietal variation in skinning and how this is influenced by growing conditions.

At the IBH you will profit from the interaction with a diverse and multidisciplinary scientific community, including other PhD students from the BARIToNE and other programs, and receive training offered by the JHI and University of Dundee. We warmly welcome students from diverse background and cultures.

How to apply

Applications to the BARIToNE CTP programme are made via the form which can be found on our website: https://baritone.hutton.ac.uk/how-to-apply/