University of York Chemistry PhD Research Projects PhD Projects, Programmes & Scholarships

29 April 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)

Globally, waterways and lakes have suffered from excessive nutrient loading arising from wastewater release, both industrial and agricultural. Read more

Supervisor: Dr K Redeker

Ammonia futures – the changing face of atmospheric nitrogen emissions

Supervisors: Dr S Moller, Prof A C Lewis

Introduction. Air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to human health, and impacts biodiversity, and ecosystem services. Read more

24 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Self funded MSc by research or PhD in Biology: Discovery, evolution and applications in plant natural product biosynthesis

Supervisor: Dr B R Lichman

Lead supervisor: . The student will be registered with the Department of Biology. Plants are capable of producing complex molecules for defense and adaptation. Read more

30 June 2024 PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Self funded PhD in Biology: Novel approaches for valorisation of seaweed biomass

30 June 2024 PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Lead Supervisor. Dr T Tonon (Department of Biology). Co-Supervisor. Dr Leonardo Gomez (Department of Biology). Context. Seaweeds are crucial to maintain biodiversity in coastal environments and to support livelihood of some coastal communities. Read more

Supervisor: Dr T Tonon

Tailoring Unspecific Peroxygenases (UPOs) for Applications in Synthetic Organic Chemistry

Supervisors: Prof G J Grogan, Dr W Unsworth, Dr J Cartwright

Background. The oxygenation of organic compounds presents an ongoing challenge to synthetic chemistry as conventional reagents present difficulties with toxicity, harsh conditions and poor selectivity. Read more

20 May 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Photonics for Net Zero Enabled by Patternable Boron-Phosphide Polymers

Supervisors: Prof A S Weller, Dr Y Wang

The manipulation of light in optoelectronic devices is a cornerstone for the delivery of Net Zero, for example in low-energy optical computing (silicon-photonics) and green hydrogen generation from water (photocatalysis). Read more

30 June 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Organic Synthesis and Self-Assembly of State-Independent Electrolyte Materials

Supervisor: Dr P McGonigal

Ideal electrolytes for energy devices such as batteries and solar cells would (i) be lightweight and flexible, (ii) exhibit thermal stability, (iii) be non-volatile (to reduce fire risk), (iv) provide good interfacial contact with electrodes, (v) be amenable to processing and recycling, (vi) have high ionic conductivities, and (vii) be made from cheap, renewable feedstocks. Read more

30 June 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

University of York Department of Environment and Geography

Antibiotic resistant genes: Can minerals prevent their spread within the environment?

This is one of four potential projects, please choose from the links below to view the remaining three projects. Financing a Sustainable Future. Read more

Supervisors: Dr O Moore, Dr J Wilkinson, Prof M Hodson

28 April 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

University of York Department of Environment and Geography

Experimental and Modelling Approaches for Indoor Air Quality Assessment

This is one of four potential projects, please choose from the links below to view the remaining three projects. Antibiotic resistant genes. Read more

Supervisors: Dr D Das, Prof N Carslaw, Dr S Quinn, Dr T J Dillon

28 April 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Understanding the emissions and toxicity from domestic burning in the UK

Supervisors: Prof J Hamilton, Dr A R Rickard

Poor air quality is the biggest environmental factor contributing to premature mortality globally. Read more

1 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Development of improved and targeted quantification of ammonia emissions

Supervisors: Prof D Carslaw, Dr M S Shaw, Dr N Farren

Introduction. Ammonia (NH. 3. ) has an ever-growing influence on air pollution in the UK and worldwide with numerous considerable impacts such as the formation of secondary particles (now the dominant contribution), nitrogen deposition and eutrophication. Read more

1 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Towards a better understanding of indoor air quality in the home

Supervisors: Dr M S Shaw, Prof N Carslaw, Prof A C Lewis

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently stated that exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution was one of the greatest risks to human health, and that improving air quality was necessary to reduce the global incidence and impact of diseases such as lung cancer, stroke, and asthma. Read more

1 May 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Last chance to apply

Fully-funded PhD in Biology EPSRC iCASE with FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies (FDBK): Development of modular chromatography strategies for the straight through purification of biotherapeutic recombinant proteins from E.coli

22 April 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Lead supervisor: Dr Michael Plevin (Department of Biology). Co-supervisors: Dr John Oyekan (Department of Computer Science) and Christopher Fox (Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies). Read more

Supervisor: Dr M Plevin

University of York Department of Environment and Geography

Going back to a peaty future: past peat losses, present restoration options and future peat gains – identifying and overcoming stressors to peat formation

This project is part of the NERC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training, ECOWILD. For more details, and for a full list of projects offered under this programme, please visit: https://ecowild.site.hw.ac.uk/. Read more

Supervisors: Dr A Heinemeyer, Dr H McGrath, Dr N Archer, Dr RP Pereira

29 April 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of York Department of Environment and Geography

Floodplains under pressure - Multiple stressor impacts of pollution, climate change and landscape management

This project is part of the NERC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training, ECOWILD. For more details, and for a full list of projects offered under this programme, please visit: https://ecowild.site.hw.ac.uk/. Read more

Supervisors: Dr S Toet, Dr R Collins, Prof D Spurgeon, Prof N McNamara

29 April 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of York Department of Environment and Geography

Impacts of climate change on the fate, uptake and effects of chemicals in wetland environments

This project is part of the NERC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training, ECOWILD. For more details, and for a full list of projects offered under this programme, please visit: https://ecowild.site.hw.ac.uk/. Read more

Supervisors: Prof A Boxall, Prof T Hutchinson, Prof D Spurgeon, Dr S Lofts

29 April 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

University of York Department of Environment and Geography

Does metal mobilisation during flooding enhance risks to earthworms?

This project is part of the NERC-funded Centre for Doctoral Training, ECOWILD. For more details, and for a full list of projects offered under this programme, please visit: https://ecowild.site.hw.ac.uk/. Read more

Supervisors: Prof M Hodson, Dr E Forbes, Dr A Robinson, Prof D Spurgeon

29 April 2024 PhD Research Project Competition Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)

Last chance to apply

Designing "surface sprinters": molecular machines that rapidly "walk" on the surfaces

Supervisor: Prof V Chechik

Background. Molecular machines have fascinated scientists for many decades. Significant progress in this area was recognised by a Nobel prize in 2016. Read more

22 April 2024 PhD Research Project Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

Synthesis of macrocycles and medium-sized rings via new ring expansion approaches

Supervisor: Dr W Unsworth

Summary. Macrocycles (12+ membered rings) and medium-sized rings (8–11-membered) are cyclic molecules with great potential in many scientific fields and technologies – especially in medicinal chemistry. Read more

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Direct analysis ion mobility mass spectrometry for rapid profiling of edible fats and oils to combat food adulteration

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

Background. Food safety and authenticity are generally taken for granted, yet food adulteration is one of the most significant challenges faced in the UK, with the total impact of food crime on the UK estimated to be between £409 million and £1.96 billion per year [Food Standards Agency, 2023]. Read more

Supervisor: Dr J Mosely

University of York York Biomedical Research Institute

Metal-based Antimicrobials: Tackling Resistance with Catalytic Redox Stressors

Background. New antibiotics are urgently needed to combat the widespread rise in resistance. However, only very few of the drug candidates in clinical development represent new structural classes. Read more

Supervisors: Prof A-K Duhme-Klair, Prof G Thomas, Prof G Barlow

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

University of York York Biomedical Research Institute

Chemical modification of proteins via metal-mediated processes

Chemically modified proteins can be used to understand, treat, and diagnose disease. However, relatively few chemical reactions can be used to modify proteins, severely limiting the diversity and applications of new technologies. Read more

Supervisors: Dr C Spicer, Dr M Plevin

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

University of York York Biomedical Research Institute

Understanding interactions of proteins with polymer-coated nanoparticles

Introduction. Polymer-coated nanoparticles are promising drug delivery vehicles. Multiple functionalities can be embedded into the nanoparticle structure to enable uptake of the drug-like molecules, their targeted delivery and controlled release. Read more

Supervisors: Prof V Chechik, Prof D Ungar

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only

University of York York Biomedical Research Institute

ChemGlycoSEPSI: chemical glycobiology for the study and exploitation of Pseudaminic acid sugars in infectious diseases

Pseudaminic acid (Pse) is a rare non-mammalian sialic acid-like sugar present on the surface of a number of bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter… Read more

Supervisors: Dr M A Fascione, Prof G Thomas

Year round applications PhD Research Project Self-Funded PhD Students Only