Sustainable production of high-value compounds using cyanobacteria

Increasing environmental challenges mean there is a need for novel, safe, sustainable and cost-effective production technologies. From this perspective production of chemicals using cyanobacteria is an attractive option. This is because cyanobacteria can be used to produce a range of compounds (e.g. polymers, vitamins, pigments and chemicals) using light and carbon dioxide as the main nutrients. Additionally, their fast growth rates and minimal nutrient requirements make them favourable from a scale-up perspective.

In order to further the use of cyanobacteria for sustainable production, it is necessary to identify suitable strains.

Currently, the diversity of cyanobacteria and their potential for industrial application is yet to be fully explored, and a key aspect of this project would involve screening different species to identify the most promising for scale-up.

What you will be doing: this project will be primarily lab-based. Students working on this project can:

• Cultivate a range of cyanobacteria species at small (< 250 mL) scales as well as at larger (3 L) scale using custom built photo-bioreactors.
• Learn skills about extraction of valuable compounds from biomass as well as their quantitation using HPLC and/or GC
• Work with cutting-edge automated bioreactor set-ups for strain characterisation and improvement.
• Learn skills in process development and optimisation.
• Develop skills in process scale-up, process modelling and techno-economic evaluation.

Work on the project is not limited to these areas – if you have an area you are particularly interested in please get in touch.

Your background:

Applicants should have a First Class or Upper Second Class Honours degree, or a MSc in chemical engineering, biotechnology or a related discipline. Applicants should be able to work independently, have good written and oral communication skills and be self-motivated.

Research journey

Doctoral research programmes (PhDs) take a proud place in the world-class research environment and community at Brunel. PhD students are recognised and valued by their supervisors as an essential part of their departments and a key component of the university's overall strategy to develop and deliver world-class research.

A PhD programme is expected to take 3 years full-time or 6 years part-time, with intakes starting in January, April or October.

The general University entrance requirement for registration for a research degree is normally a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (1st or 2:1) or an international equivalent. A Masters degree is a welcome, but not required, qualification for entry.

Find out how to apply for a PhD at Brunel

Research support

Excellent research support and training

The Graduate School provides a range of personal, professional and career development opportunities. This includes workshops, online training, coaching and events, to enable you to enhance your professional profile, refine your skills, and plan your next career steps as part of the Researcher Development Programme. The researcher development programme (RDP) offers workshops and seminars in a range of areas including progression, research management, research dissemination, and careers and personal development. You will also be offered a number of online, self-study courses on BBL, including Research Integrity, Research Skills Toolkit, Research Methods in Literature Review and Principles of Research Methods.

Library services

Brunel's Library is open 24 hours a day, has 400,000 books and 250,000 ebooks, and an annual budget of almost £2m. Subject information Specialists train students in the latest technology, digital literacy, and digital dissemination of scholarly outputs. As well as the physical resources available in the Library, we also provide access to a wealth of electronic resources. These include databases, journals and e-books. Access to these resources has been bought by the Library through subscription and is limited to current staff and students. 

Dedicated research support staff provide guidance and training on open access, research data management, copyright and other research integrity issues.

Find out more: Brunel Library

Careers support

You will receive tailored careers support during your PhD and for up to three years after you complete your research at Brunel. We encourage you to actively engage in career planning and managing your personal development right from the start of your research, even (or perhaps especially) if you don't yet have a career path in mind. Our careers provision includes online information and advice, one-to-one consultations and a range of events and workshops. The Professional Development Centre runs a varied programme of careers events throughout the academic year. These include industry insight sessions, recruitment fairs, employer pop-ups and skills workshops.