This fully funded, 4-year PhD project is part of a competition funded by the BBSRC EASTBIO Doctoral Training Partnership.
There is growing concern around the insecurities of food production therefore food producing systems must intensify and simultaneously diversify to sustainably meet the increasingly growing population size and nutrient requirements while promoting human health. This will include an increasing demand for plants-based foods. Phytic acid (myo-inositol hexa-phosphate), represents 50–85% of the total phosphorus (P) content in high-protein and fibre-rich crops and 1–5% of total weight. Soil microorganisms can enhance the capacity of crops to acquire nutrients from soil through various mechanisms by being integral to the cycling of soil phosphorus (with 30–50% of total amount of organic P found as inositol phosphate). The use of organic P by plants and microbes requires hydrolyse the organic P from soil using phosphatase. The myo-inositol (sugar analogue) from the plant-based foods can be released in the human intestine by the activity of phytases on the inositol phytates, but only scarce data are available on its modulatory effect on the gut microbiota. Preliminary animal studies described that dietary phytic acid increased production of microbial short chain fatty acids with parallel changes in microbiota composition.
The aim of this project is to study the impact of soil microbiology on the composition of sustainable crops that will be tested for human gut microbial fermentation and composition by identifying:
-The role of soil microbiota in promoting the formation of phytic acid/inositols via phosphorus availability; enhancing the capacity of plants to acquire phosphorus.
-The role of human microbiota in metabolising these compounds (in vitro) in terms of modulating the microbial composition. The human gut bacteria which possess phytase activity and utilise the sugar analogues as a source of energy in vitro (single and mixed culture batch or incubations using human volunteers’ samples) experiments and the measurement of the microbial metabolites.
By delivering a comprehensive analysis of the content of sugar analogues (and their precursors-phytates) in sustainable food crops, such as wheat, buckwheat and hemp, and link it to the soil microbial/fungal composition, this project will inform future agricultural practice strategies for both the food and drink industry.
The student will acquire knowledge, skills and expertise on soil microbiology, natural product chemistry/metabolism, human microbiology, and human nutrition. Specifically, extraction/analysis of plant metabolites (GCMS, LCMS techniques); single/mixed microbiota incubations, molecular biology techniques.
This is a truly interdisciplinary and collaborative study involving scientists from School of Biological Sciences, The Rowett Institute-University of Aberdeen and Scotland’s rural college (SRUC).
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ELIGIBILITY:
- Applicants should hold a minimum of a 2:1 UK Honours degree (or international equivalent) in a relevant subject. Those with a 2:2 UK Honours degree (or international equivalent) may be considered, provided they have (or are expected to achieve) a Distinction or Commendation at master’s level.
- All students must meet the eligibility criteria as outlined in the UKRI guidance on UK, EU and international candidates. This guidance should be read in conjunction with the UKRI Training Grant Terms and Conditions, esp. TGC 5.2 & Annex B.
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APPLICATION PROCEUDRE:
- Please visit this page for full application information: How to apply | eastbio (eastscotbiodtp.ac.uk)
- Please send your completed EASTBIO application form, along with academic transcripts to Alison Innes at: [Email Address Removed]
- Two references should be provided by the deadline using the EASTBIO reference form. References should be sent to [Email Address Removed]
- Unfortunately, due to workload constraints, we cannot consider incomplete applications.
- CV's submitted directly through a FindAPhD enquiry WILL NOT be considered.
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