David Lea-Smith

[Fully funded 4-year PhD CASE studentship with Inspiralis Limited, including payment of tuition fees, a 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 offers an exciting opportunity to engineer bacteria for enhanced bioremediation and hydrogen production. Under the supervision of Dr David Lea-Smith, the project leverages advanced synthetic biology tools to modify the purple bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris, a species well-suited for the bioremediation of various wastestreams and capable of hydrogen synthesis. The student will identify compounds degraded by the bacterium and engineer new metabolic pathways and transporters to improve degradation of poorly metabolised substances. Additionally, electron transport pathways will be engineered to boost hydrogen production, with the goal of creating strains suitable for commercial bioremediation of wastewater and waste products like crude glycerol. Commercial applicability will be tested in larger bioreactors in collaboration with Professor Robbie Pott at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa. The successful candidate will gain expertise in microbiology, synthetic biology, enzyme characterisation, structural biology, and process engineering, preparing them for careers in academia or industry. The studentship is part of the Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP), which provides a comprehensive 4-year PhD training, including a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS) to enhance professional development. Students will join the Environmental Biotechnology Innovation Centre, interact with leading researchers, and benefit from a vibrant academic and industrial community. The studentship covers tuition fees, a stipend of £20,780 (2025/6 rate), and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per year. Entry requirements include a UK equivalent Bachelors (Honours) degree with at least a 2:1 classification and English language proficiency (IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category). The position is full-time, starting 1 October 2026. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed in February 2026. For further details and to apply, visit the UEA application portal and the NRPDTP website.