Insects are vital to the UK’s ecosystems, but unfortunately many insect pollinators are threatened or in decline. Research to reverse this trend is urgently required. The study of pheromones and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from insects is important for monitoring their health. In bees, these chemical signatures play vital roles in the maintenance of the colony, including regulation of social behaviour, foraging, reproduction, swarming and defence. A common approach to study VOCs is to remove exocrine glands, heads or antennae of insects post-mortem, and then extract the chemicals using solvents. As well as the obvious ethical concerns, VOCs extracted post-mortem may be different to those emitted from live and active insects. Therefore, in this project we are seeking to develop an approach to humanely assess the health of live bee colonies, and other insect pollinators.

The project will develop a device to safely sample the air (‘headspace’) surrounding bee hives, enabling samples to be collected non-invasively at specific time intervals. Analysis of the samples using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry will evaluate changes in pheromones, markers of stress, metabolism and other physiological activity, and how this relates to environmental pollution, enabling the development of improved strategies for insect conservation.

94% of Loughborough’s research impact is rated world-leading or internationally excellent. REF 2021

Supervisors

• Primary supervisor: Dr Matthew Turner
• Secrondary supervisor: Dr Amy Managh

Entry requirements

Applicants will normally need to hold, or expect to achieve, a minimum of a 2:1 bachelor's degree in chemistry, analytical science, or a related scientific subject, or an appropriate Master's degree.

English language requirements

Applicants must meet the minimum English language requirements. Further details are available on the International website .

Funding Notes

The NERC studentship is funded for 3.5 years starting from October 2025 and provides a tax-free stipend of £19,237 per annum (in 2024/25) for the duration of the studentship plus tuition fees at the UK rate. It also provides a Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of £8,000. Further guidance about eligibility is available at UKRI Terms and Conditions . Due to UKRI funding rules , no more than 30% of the studentships funded by this grant can be awarded to International candidates, but successful International candidates will have the difference between the UK and International tuition fees provided by the University.

How to apply

1. Complete a CENTA studentship application form in Word format, available on the CENTA website .
2. All applications should be made online . Under programme name, select Science/Chemistry. During the online application process, upload the CENTA studentship application form as a supporting document. Please quote 2025-LU12 when completing your online application.
3. Application closing date is midnight (UK time) on Wednesday 8 January 2025. Interviews for short-listed candidates are expected to be held in the period Monday 3 February – Friday 14 February 2025.

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