PhD Studentship - Investigating the Impact of Climate Change on Sexual Reproduction in the Wheat Rust Fungi University of East Anglia in United Kingdom

[4-year Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership PhD CASE studentship with Inspiralis Limited. Includes payment of tuition fees, annual stipend of £20,780 (2025/6 rate), and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per annum.] This fully funded PhD studentship at the University of East Anglia, in partnership with the Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP) and Inspiralis Limited, focuses on the impact of climate change on the sexual reproduction of wheat rust fungi. Wheat rusts, particularly Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt) and Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), are major threats to global wheat production. These pathogens reproduce asexually on wheat and sexually on Berberis species, with sexual reproduction leading to new, potentially more virulent genotypes.

Notably, Pst has not been observed to infect Berberis vulgaris in Europe, likely due to a mismatch in the timing of spore germination and leaf availability. However, climate change may alter this dynamic, potentially enabling new infection cycles and affecting future wheat rust epidemics. The project aims to (i) investigate the mechanisms currently limiting Pst infection of B. vulgaris and sexual reproduction in the UK, and (ii) use spatially explicit models to predict how changes in climate could influence the timing and impact of sexual reproduction in both Pgt and Pst, thereby shaping future disease outbreaks.

The successful candidate will join the Saunders Lab at the John Innes Centre, a multidisciplinary research environment offering training in plant pathology, molecular biology, and computational biology. Additional training in disease risk modelling will be provided by experts at Exeter University. The NRPDTP offers a comprehensive four-year PhD programme, including professional development, research skills training, and a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS) to enhance career prospects. The studentship covers full tuition fees, an annual stipend of £20,780 (2025/6 rate), and a research training support grant of £5,000 per year.

Applicants must hold at least a UK 2:1 Honours degree (or equivalent) and meet English language requirements (IELTS 6.5 overall, minimum 6 in each category). The start date is 1 October 2026, and the application deadline is 2 December 2026. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in early February 2026.

For more information and to apply, visit the UEA postgraduate research application portal or the NRPDTP website.