EASTBIO: Deployment of Microbial Biosensors to Quantify Carbon Sequestration in Soils University of Aberdeen in United Kingdom

This fully funded, 4-year PhD project is part of a competition funded by the BBSRC EASTBIO Doctoral Training Partnership .

Biosensors enable a unique insight into the living world through using biological approaches to measure defined parameters. Microbial biosensors have been designed and optimised to report on key processes of carbon utilisation in soils. Historically their deployment was to quantify the bioavailability of pollutants in soils to make target molecules more readily degradable. Their application in bioremediation, risk assessment and land characterisation is widely reported.

Biosensors still offer incredible potential in our changing world. To reflect the growing climate crisis, the sensors will be deployed to measure how carbon can be made more recalcitrant in soils allowing stocks to build up and to enhance soil quality. The sensors will report on key enzymatic pathways that degrade soil organic fractions and thus offer a real time measure of the break-down of soil components. The biosensor technology (using lux-based reporter genes) is well proven and a suite of sensors responsive to key groups of molecules will be deployed directly into soils (solid phase), to aqueous extracts and to defined soil fractions. An algorithm of response will be established using the collated data. Having optimised the response and performance of the approach the next phase will be applying this to a range of contrasting soil types across Scotland. This will develop a data base that will include consideration of land use and management. It will not focus solely on agricultural soils but will be extended to woodland and wetlands where the nature and form of the captured carbon will contrast that of agricultural land. Calibration of the response of the sensors will be made using standard soil biochemical approaches (e.g. dehydrogenase, phosphatase, sulphatase, substrate induced respiration, ß-Glucosidases) giving a fuller characterisation of the soil under investigation. This will enable a “soil bio-fingerprint” to be established for each soil type and land use.

The final phase of the project will quantitatively review current techniques used to enhance sequestration of carbon in soils; including biochar, rock dust and other ameliorative amendments. Detailed soil characterisation will be performed in multi-factorially designed experiments. This will be performed initially at greenhouse scale but will move to established long term field experiments (through existing collaborators) offering a biological interpretation of the treatments.

The soil science training will be in the first year in conjunction with taught programmes. The biosensors will be easily deployed by a candidate with familiarity of culturable microbiology. Data analysis and statistical raining will be provided.

For further project information please contact the lead project supervisor by selecting the first listed name at the top of this advert and sending your enquiry.

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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.

We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities, and are committed to having a diverse, inclusive team.

All students must meet the eligibility criteria as outlined in the UKRI guidance on funding for postgraduate training and development . This guidance should be read in conjunction with the Terms and conditions for training funding – UKRI .

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APPLICATION PROCEDURE:

• Please visit this page for full application information: https://biology.ed.ac.uk/eastbio/how-to-apply
• Please send your completed EASTBIO application form, along with academic transcripts and certificates to [email protected]
• Please ensure that two references are submitted by the deadline using the EASTBIO reference form ( available here ). If the references are not included with your application, they must be sent directly to [email protected] with the subject line: "EASTBIO Reference – [Your Name]".
• It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that references are submitted by the deadline (17 ^th January). We will not request academic references on your behalf.
• Please ensure you submit all the required information and documentation. Due to workload constraints, we are unable to follow up on missing documents or process incomplete applications.
• If you require any additional assistance in submitting your application or have any queries about the application process, please don't hesitate to contact us at [email protected]