Gatsby Charitable Foundation
6 days ago
PhD in Decoding Dynamic Plant Meristems Gatsby Charitable Foundation in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Molecular Biology
Funding
Competition-funded PhD studentship. Annual stipend is above the BBSRC minimum level; the 2027/28 stipend is £26,212. Includes £5,500 per year for department laboratory fees and £700 for books, conferences and travel. Tuition fees are paid by the Foundation. An additional up to £3,000 may be claimed to help cover extra expenses for a six-month placement at another university/institute in year 3 or 4.
Deadline
Nov 20, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
Gatsby Charitable Foundation
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About this position
PhD opportunity: Decoding Dynamic Plant Meristems at the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, with supervision from Dr Vanessa Wahl and Prof Henrik Jönsson.
This project focuses on plant biology, developmental biology, plant cell biology, genomics, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and biotechnology. The research asks how the shoot apical meristem (SAM) changes during the floral transition, especially how carbon availability, hormones, meristem maintenance networks, and gene regulation are integrated to reshape meristem architecture.
The student will work with Arabidopsis as the model system and will combine advanced microscopy, fluorescent reporters, FRET-based biosensors, metabolite analysis, transcriptomics, and computational modelling. A major feature of the project is the development of a spatial, cell-resolved dynamic model of SAM behaviour, supported by AI-assisted hypothesis generation and iterative experimental validation.
The project is designed for a student who wants to work across scales, from cells and molecules to whole-tissue dynamics, and who is interested in quantitative and computational approaches to plant development. The supervisory team combines expertise in nutrient-dependent regulation of SAM development and computational morphodynamics.
Funding: This is a competition-funded PhD studentship. The award includes a stipend above the BBSRC minimum, £5,500 per year for department laboratory fees, £700 for books/conferences/travel, and tuition fees paid by the Foundation. The 2027/28 stipend is £26,212. An additional up to £3,000 may be available to support a six-month research placement at another university/institute in year 3 or 4.
Eligibility and application: Interested students should contact the supervisory team before the deadline, either through FindAPhD, by email at [email protected], or via LinkedIn. Applications should include a CV and a short motivation letter. The deadline shown on the post is Friday, 20 November 2026.
Location: London, United Kingdom.
Funding details
Competition-funded PhD studentship. Annual stipend is above the BBSRC minimum level; the 2027/28 stipend is £26,212. Includes £5,500 per year for department laboratory fees and £700 for books, conferences and travel. Tuition fees are paid by the Foundation. An additional up to £3,000 may be claimed to help cover extra expenses for a six-month placement at another university/institute in year 3 or 4.
What's required
Applicants should be curious and motivated, with an interest in plant developmental biology and computational morphodynamics. The project welcomes students who want to develop their own scientific ideas and work across biological scales. Applications should include a CV and a short motivation letter explaining research interest, background, and suitability for the PhD.
How to apply
Register your interest via the FindAPhD platform or contact the supervisory team directly by email to discuss suitability. Submit a CV and a short motivation letter with your application.
More information can be found here
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