University of Leeds PhD Studentship

Fully funded PhD opportunity at the University of Leeds in AI, bioprocessing, fermentation, alternative proteins, food science, and data analytics.

The project, Fermentelligence: AI-Enabled Valorisation of Agri-Food Side Streams into Microbial Protein, sits in the Food AI Lab and the new Digital Fermentation Studio. The research combines instrumented bioreactors, multi-modal sensors, machine learning, and closed-loop optimisation to improve microbial protein production from agri-food side streams such as brewers’ spent grain, bread waste, and surplus crops.

You will work on real-time prediction of biomass and protein parameters, sensor fusion, metabolic modelling where appropriate, and optimisation of fermentation conditions for yield, cost, and environmental impact. The project also connects with the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC), BBSRC-funded infrastructure, and international partners including the Bezos Earth Fund and CSIRO.

Funding: fully funded for 3.5 years, covering UK tuition fees plus a UKRI-matched maintenance stipend currently £20,780/year.

Eligibility: UK applicants only; must be eligible for Home fee status. Minimum requirement is a 2.1 honours bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, or a good Master’s-level performance in a related field. Candidates must be new PhD researchers. If English is not your first language, IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (or equivalent) is required.

Deadline: 30 June 2026. Start date: 1 October 2026.

How to apply: submit a formal research degree application via the University of Leeds portal, choose Research Degrees/Research Postgraduate and PhD Food Science Full-time, and clearly state the project title plus Nicholas Watson as proposed supervisor.