PhD Studentship in Enzyme Engineering for Sustainable Antifungal Solutions
The UniDLA Programme is offering fully funded PhD studentships for the 2026/27 academic year. This prestigious award covers tuition fees, stipend, and research support, providing an excellent opportunity for students to pursue advanced research in a supportive academic environment. This opportunity is exclusive to only UK Home students.
This PhD project focuses on developing novel antifungal agents using advanced enzyme engineering approaches. Antimicrobial compounds derived from nature—such as antibiotics, organic acids, and bacteriophages—have long been used across industries. This project builds on that foundation by exploring predatory bacteria like Lysobacter species, which produce enzymes capable of breaking down fungal cell walls.
The research will specifically investigate glucanase and chitinase enzymes as innovative antifungal agents and assess their performance in consumer product formulations.
Research Objectives
- Identify and characterize enzymes with antifungal activity
- Engineer glucanase and chitinase enzymes for improved performance
- Study enzyme mechanisms using structural biology approaches
- Evaluate enzyme effectiveness in real-world formulations
Key Responsibilities
- High-throughput and automated experimental workflows
- Recombinant enzyme bioprospecting
- Enzyme assay development and optimization
- Carbohydrate chemistry and automated synthesis
- Structural biology and protein engineering
- Directed evolution and AI-assisted enzyme design
- Identify and characterize enzymes with antifungal activity
- Engineer glucanase and chitinase enzymes for improved performance
- Study enzyme mechanisms using structural biology approaches
- Evaluate enzyme effectiveness in real-world formulations
Qualifications & Skills Required
- A strong academic background in biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry, or related fields
- Interest in enzyme engineering, antifungal research, or industrial biotechnology
- Ability to work in a multidisciplinary research environment
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
How To Apply
- Applicants should submit an updated CV
- Cover letter outlining research interests
- Academic transcripts and supporting documents
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