About the Project
Project Summary
Plants use CO2 that diffuses from the air into spaces within the leaf for carbon fixation by photosynthesis. Remarkably, we still have no method of measuring the CO2 within the leaf directly, even though it is one of the most important parameters determining the rates of photosynthesis. This project will develop new sensors and non-invasive spectrophotometric methods with magnetic nanoparticles to measure CO2 directly in the leaf. We expect the technology to revolutionise approaches to photosynthesis research; it will and open new avenues for nanoengineering design; and it will have broad applications from precision agriculture and environmental monitoring to medicine and human health.
Project Team and where student will be based
Lead supervisor – Prof. Mike Blatt (Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology) [Email Address Removed]
https://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/biology/staff/michaelblatt/
http://psrg.org.uk/
Second supervisors – Dr. Serena Corr (Chemistry) and Prof. Andy Harvey (Physics).
https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/chemistry/staff/serenacorr/
https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/physics/staff/andyharvey/
Prof. Blatt is known worldwide for his work on guard cell physiology and stomatal gas exchange. Dr. Corr is an expert in nanoparticle design and solid-state materials for applications in energy and the environment. Prof. Harvey leads the Imaging Concepts Group and is an expert in advanced imaging techniques for remote sensing.
The scholar will be based in Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology and will work across all three institutes to gain a wide range of skills that combine biology, physico-chemical engineering, computational data analysis and modelling. The scholar will engage at national and international levels, including in scientific conferences to build a wide-ranging network across the relevant the fields.
Person Specification
Applications are invited for a four-year full time PhD scholarship open to candidates of any nationality - UK, EU and International. This scholarship is awarded on a competitive basis; applicants must therefore show high potential.
Applicants must have, or expect to have at the start of the scholarship, an upper second or first class honours degree or equivalent in one or more of the relevant subject (biology, chemistry or biochemistry, biophysics, or a cognate discipline). Applicants should be mathematically literate and individuals with proven research experience, publications, and/or recognition of achievement in one or more of the relevant areas are encouraged to apply.
Application Process
Prospective candidates should contact Prof. Blatt directly by email or phone (+44-(0)141 330 4771; [Email Address Removed]) as soon as possible to discuss the project and elegibility. Applications must be received by Prof. Blatt before Friday, 12th January 2018 and preferably before 29th December 2017 for consideration.
Applicants invited to apply will submit the following by email to Prof. Blatt before Friday, 12th January 2018:
- A statement expressing your particular attributes, achievements and suitability to undertake the proposed project (applicants should pay particular attention to Appendix 1 of the Lord Kelvin Adam Smith Guidance Notes
- a full Curriculum Vitae, including academic history, qualifications, experience, your contact details and the contact details of your professional referees (email, phone, postal address)
- copies of any undergraduate and postgraduate (Masters) degree certificates and transcripts in English
- two references in support of the application; references relevant to the application for admission to Glasgow for PhD study may be submitted to this process – they do not need to be tailored to the LKAS scholarship
- for candidates whose first language is not English, evidence of competence in English in the form of an IELTS certificate or similar