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University of East Anglia

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PhD Studentship: Manipulating Meiotic Crossover Control in Wheat University of East Anglia in United Kingdom

Degree Level

PhD

Field of study

Population Genetics

Funding

Available

Deadline

Nov 30, 2026

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Country

United Kingdom

University

University of East Anglia

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Keywords

Population Genetics
Environmental Science
Agriculture
Biology
Plant Breeding
Wheat Breeding
Super-resolution Microscopy
Quantitative Genetics
Genomic
Statistics

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About this position

[Fully funded 4-year PhD studentship including tuition fees paid directly to the university, a stipend for living expenses at £21,805 per year (2026/27 rate), and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per year.]

PhD Studentship: Manipulating Meiotic Crossover Control in Wheat at the University of East Anglia is a fully funded 4-year doctoral project within the Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP).

The project asks a fundamental and applied question in plant science: can the wheat crossover landscape be deliberately manipulated to increase recombination in regions of the genome that are normally difficult to access? In wheat and other cereals, crossovers are unevenly distributed, which creates a major barrier for plant breeders because useful alleles can remain locked to unwanted variants through linkage drag. This PhD will combine meiotic cell biology, genetics, microscopy, genomics, and quantitative analysis to explore ways of redistributing recombination for crop improvement.

Working in the Morgan group and co-supervised by Dr Simon Griffiths at the John Innes Centre, the successful candidate will gain experience across meiotic cytology, molecular genetics, population genomics, and statistical methods. The research will use TILLING mutant alleles of meiotic genes, super-resolution microscopy, and genomics to test whether specific meiotic mechanisms can shift crossovers into recombination-poor regions. It will also examine natural allelic variation in the JIC Watkins wheat landrace collection and develop a high-throughput pollen-typing assay to measure recombination directly in wheat gametes. A genome-wide association study across the Watkins panel will be used to identify loci associated with altered recombination.

The studentship is especially relevant for applicants interested in genetics, plant sciences, bioscience, and crop breeding. It is designed to produce tools and alleles that may help breeders develop climate-resilient wheat varieties more quickly. NRPDTP students also undertake a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS) during the doctorate, alongside comprehensive research and professional development training.

Funding: The award covers tuition fees, a stipend for living costs at £21,805 per year (2026/27 rate), and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000 per year.

Eligibility: At least a UK-equivalent Bachelors (Honours) degree at 2:1, with IELTS 6.5 overall and 6.0 in each category for the Faculty of Science equivalent.

Application deadline: 30 November 2026. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on 2, 3, and 4 February 2027. Start date: 1 October 2027.

Funding details

Available

What's required

Applicants should have at least the UK equivalent of a Bachelors (Honours) degree at 2:1 level. The project is well suited to candidates with a background in genetics, plant sciences, or a related bioscience discipline. English language requirement for Faculty of Science equivalent is IELTS 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each category.

How to apply

Apply via the University of East Anglia postgraduate research application portal. Use the bespoke Personal and Research statement templates from the NRPDTP website for the relevant sections. Submit before the deadline of 30 November 2026.

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