Alex Jones

[Studentship provides full fees and a stipend of £21,805 per annum for 2026/7; funded by EPSRC.] University of Exeter PhD studentship in In Silico Directed Evolution of Biological Qubits: Rational Design of Nanoscale Quantum Transducers . This project sits at the interface of quantum biology, protein engineering, computational chemistry, and AI-driven molecular design. The research aims to move beyond passive fluorescence-based quantum sensing toward active biological transduction , where genetically encoded systems convert spin-dependent radical-pair events into downstream biological outputs. The work builds on engineered flavoproteins, LOV domains, and fluorescent proteins, and uses radical pair mechanisms as the biological qubit platform. The successful candidate will develop a multiscale computational workflow that combines open quantum system spin dynamics with generative protein design. Methods may include stochastic Liouville solvers, Bayesian uncertainty quantification, deep-learning inverse folding, ProteinMPNN/ColabDesign-style generative tools, molecular dynamics free-energy calculations, and DFT-based estimation of spin Hamiltonian parameters and electron transfer rates. A key goal is to map theoretically optimal spin dynamics onto concrete structural constraints, then generate novel protein scaffolds and sidechain packings that optimize radical pair formation and coherent lifetime. The project also includes benchmarking against existing directed-evolution constructs such as MagLOV variants, and designing allosteric coupling pathways so that spin-selective yields or radical lifetimes trigger functional biological responses, for example changing protein-protein interactions or enzymatic activity. Prospective predictions may be considered for experimental validation through collaborating facilities at the Living Systems Institute and the National Physical Laboratory . The studentship is funded by EPSRC and provides fees plus a stipend of £21,805 per annum for 2026/7 . The advert lists Prof. Alex Jones at the National Physical Laboratory as a co-supervisor. This opportunity is especially relevant for candidates with interests in quantum sensing, computational protein design, radical pair chemistry, and biological nanotransduction. Application deadline: 2026-12-08.