Fully Funded 4-Year Plant Defense PhD: Single-Cell Genomics

University of East Anglia; Norwich; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully funded PhD program

Stipend £21,805 per year (2026/27)

Research Training Support Grant £5,000

Job summary

The University of East Anglia invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship hosted at The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, to map cellular defence pathways in plants and identify gene modules involved in resistance. You will be trained in advanced imaging, single-cell data analysis and genome editing, with an emphasis on natural-product chemistry.

Based at Norwich Research Park and joining the Osbourn group, this four-year PhD emphasizes hands-on experimentation with data-driven biology,

Qualifications

• UK-equivalent bachelor degree (2:1) required.
• IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each band.

Responsibilities

• Map cellular geography of defence pathways using single-cell data.
• Create fluorescent reporter plants and use microscopy to follow defence-pathway activation.
• Analyze gene activity and chromatin profiles from ~100,000 leaf nuclei.
• Test candidate gene modules with genome editing, pathogen assays and metabolomics.
• Train in plant molecular biology, imaging, data analysis, genome editing, plant pathology and natural-product chemistry.

Education

Bachelor's degree (2:1) equivalence

IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each band

Job description

The University of East Anglia invites applications for a fully funded PhD studentship hosted at The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, to map cellular defence pathways in plants and identify gene modules involved in resistance. You will be trained in advanced imaging, single-cell data analysis and genome editing, with an emphasis on natural-product chemistry.

Based at Norwich Research Park and joining the Osbourn group, this four-year PhD emphasizes hands-on experimentation with data-driven biology,