About the award
The South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership
The South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP)
is a BBSRC-funded PhD training programme in the biosciences, delivered
by a consortium comprising the Universities of Bristol (lead), Bath,
Cardiff, Exeter, and Rothamsted Research. Together, these institutions
present a distinctive cadre of bioscience research staff and students
with established international, national and regional networks and
widely recognised research excellence. The partnership has a strong
track record in advancing knowledge through high quality research and
teaching in partnership with industry and government.
The aim of the SWBio DTP is to produce highly motivated and
excellently trained postgraduates in the BBSRC priority areas of
Agriculture & Food Security (AFS) and World-Class Underpinning
Bioscience (WCUB). These are growth areas of the biosciences and for
which there will be considerable future demand.
The award
This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (SWBio DTP). The SWBio DTP are recruiting up to five CASE studentships across the partnership.
For UK/EU nationals who meet the residency requirements outlined by
the BBSRC, the studentship will cover funding for 4 years (48 months) as
follows. These awards might be available to part-time students, but
only in exceptional circumstances, in which case the funding will be
paid on a pro-rata basis.
• a stipend at the standard Research Council UK rate; currently £14,296 per annum for 2016-2017
• research and training costs
• tuition fees (at the standard Research Councils UK rate
• additional funds to support fieldwork, conferences and a 3-month internship
Further information about eligibility can be found in the BBSRC Guide to Studentship Eligibility.
Academic Supervisors:
Main Supervisor: Professor Robbie McDonald, University of Exeter
Co-supervisor: Professor Dez Delahay, Animal and Plant Health Agency
Co-supervisor: Professor David Hodgson, University of Exeter
Location:
University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall
Project Description:
The increasing incidence of emerging infectious diseases in animals
presents a challenge to the health and welfare of people, as well as
their managed animals. This project will take a collaborative ‘One
Health’ approach to understanding the potential for transmission of
zoonoses among people, their managed animals (livestock and companion
animals) and wildlife. The PhD will focus on a model system of
mycobacterial infections that can cause tuberculosis in cats, livestock,
wildlife and people. The student will examine the risks of cats
acquiring and transmitting mycobacterial infections. The project will
involve field studies of cat behaviour and foraging and interaction with
actual and potential disease hosts (animals and humans) and potential
sources of infection in the environment. The study will take place in
disease hotspots, and will employ a range of telemetry and
proximity-sensing technologies in the field as well as cutting edge
diagnostic approaches and stable isotope analyses in the laboratory. It
will be a collaboration between researchers at the University of Exeter,
Animal and Plant Health Agency and The Roslin Institute and will
provide training across a range of techniques and approaches in disease
biology. The project will suit an interdisciplinary thinking biologist
or veterinarian interested in developing a One Health approach to
understanding and controlling important infections in animals and
people.
This project will benefit from a CASE partner, Animal and Plant
Health Agency. CASE students will be required to undertake a placement
with the CASE partner which will be for a minimum of 3 months and can
take place at any stage during the PhD. This placement will be directly
related to the PhD project. For further information about the CASE
studentship, please contact the main supervisor.
Entry requirements:
Applicants should have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or
Upper Second Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications
gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science or technology.
Applicants with a Lower Second Class degree will be considered if they
also have Masters degree or have significant relevant non-academic
experience. In addition, due to the strong mathematical component of the
taught course in the first year and the quantitative emphasis in our
projects, a minimum of a grade B in A-level Maths or an equivalent
qualification or experience is required. If English is not your first
language you will need to have achieved at least 6.5 in IELTS and no
less than 6.5 in any section by the start of the project. Alternative
tests may be acceptable, please see http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/language-requirements/profile-c/.
Students from EU countries who do not meet the residency requirements
may still be eligible for a fees-only award but no stipend. Applicants
who are classed as International for tuition fee purposes are not
eligible for funding. Further information about eligibility can be
found in the following document: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/documents/studentship-eligibility-pdf/
Selection process
Please note, the studentship selection process will take place in two stages:
1. The project supervisors will consider your application and may
invite you to visit for an informal interview. You can apply for more
than one BBSRC SWBio DTP project, although supervisors may take into
account your interest and commitment to their particular project. If
you apply for multiple projects, please indicate your preferred project
choice in your letter of application. Each application for an
individual project will be considered separately by the project
supervisors.
2. After closure of applications, each supervisory team will then
nominate their preferred applicant. A shortlist will be selected from
these nominations and shortlisted applicants will be invited for
interview on a selection day at the University of Exeter. Please note
that nomination by a project supervisor therefore does not guarantee the
award of a studentship.
Summary
| Application deadline: | 5th December 2016 |
|---|---|
| Value: | £14,296 per annum for 2016-17 |
| Duration of award: | per year |
| Contact: CLES PGR Team +44 (0) 1392 725150 / 723706 | cles-studentships@exeter.ac.uk |
How to apply
Click here to apply
Please be aware you will be asked to upload the following documents:
• CV
• Letter of application outlining your academic interests,
prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the
project. Please indicate your preferred project choice if applying for
multiple BBSRC SWBio DTP projects.
• Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and
grades/marks obtained. This should be an interim transcript if you are
still studying.
• If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking
country you will need to submit evidence of your proficiency in English
(see entry requirements above)
You will be asked to name 2 referees as part of the application
process however we will not contact these people until
the shortlisting stage. Your referees should not be from the prospective
supervisory team.
The closing date for applications is midnight on Monday, 5 December 2016. Interviews will be held at the University of Exeter in early February 2017.
If you have any general enquiries about the application process
please email cles-studentships@exeter.ac.uk or phone +44 (0)1392 725150 /
723706. Project-specific queries should be directed to the primary
supervisor.