Gary Rowley

[Fully funded 4-year PhD CASE studentship including tuition fees, annual stipend of £20,780 (2025/6 rate), and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per year.] This fully funded PhD studentship at the University of East Anglia investigates the mechanistic and physiological significance of the RNA chaperone Hfq in the regulation of bacterial denitrification, a process central to global nitrogen cycling and greenhouse gas emissions. Nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas, is produced by soil microbes during denitrification, especially when nitrogen-based fertilisers are used. The final step of denitrification, converting N2O to harmless nitrogen gas (N2), is catalysed by the enzyme nitrous oxide reductase (NosZ), but its activity is often limited in natural environments, contributing to significant N2O emissions. With increasing fertiliser use driven by global food demands, understanding and mitigating N2O emissions is a critical environmental challenge. The Rowley laboratory has made key advances in understanding how small, non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) regulate denitrification in bacteria, including evidence that manipulating sRNAs can impact N2O emissions. This project will use a combination of microbial physiology, molecular biology, and functional genomics to dissect the role of Hfq and associated sRNAs in denitrification regulation in Paracoccus denitrificans, a model denitrifying bacterium. The successful candidate will receive comprehensive training in all relevant techniques and have opportunities for professional development, including attending conferences and visiting collaborators in Oslo. The position is part of the Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP), which offers a vibrant research community, a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS), and extensive support for career development. The studentship is a CASE award with Inspiralis Limited, covering tuition fees, a generous stipend (£20,780 for 2025/6), and a research training support grant (£5,000 per year). Applicants should have a strong background in microbiology, a UK equivalent Bachelors (Honours) 2:1 degree, and meet English language requirements (IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category). The application deadline is 2 December 2025, with interviews scheduled for early February 2026. For further details and to apply, visit the UEA postgraduate research application portal and the NRPDTP website.