Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)
Supervisors: Prof Seth Davis, Dr Peter O'Toole, Prof Claudio Angione
About the Project
How does a plant know when the day is right to flower, and can we use that knowledge to build better crops? Sugar beet is an exceptional system for answering this question. Plants used to produce seed must flower reliably, while flowering in the harvested crop diverts resources away from the sugar-rich root. The same developmental switch therefore sits at the heart of both a fundamental biological problem and a major breeding opportunity. This PhD will uncover how sugar beet measures day length…
and uses that information to decide when to flower. Unusually, you will start with a large collection of existing mutants affecting key flowering, circadian and light-signalling pathways, such as BTC1, ELF3 and phyB. These mutants have been generated by KWS, one of the world's leading sugar beet breeders. That means you can begin testing real biological mechanisms from the start, rather than spending your first years building the experimental system. You will ask which regulatory pathways control the switch, how different day lengths alter growth and flowering, and what changes inside the plant as flowering is repressed or triggered. Genetics, controlled-environment experiments, time-series imaging and RNA-seq will provide complementary views of the same process. Statistics and predictive modelling will help turn those data into a mechanistic understanding of flowering behaviour. The practical goal is simple: can we use this understanding to make seed parents flower when breeders need them to, while keeping their offspring vegetative and productive? You will be trained across plant genetics, crop physiology, advanced imaging, quantitative analysis and artificial intelligence by a supervisory team spanning York and Teesside. The project also benefits from extensive beet germplasm, mutant resources and breeding expertise through an established partnership with KWS. This is a chance to work on a question that is both intellectually deep and immediately useful: understanding how plants make a seasonal developmental decision, then using that knowledge to improve crop breeding.
Programme: PhD in Biology (4 years)
Start Date: 20 September 2027
About the Yorkshire Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership (YBDTP):
The YBDTP brings together world-class bioscience research and innovation, as well as excellence in doctoral supervision, across the Yorkshire and Teesside region. The YBDTP will fund postgraduate researchers at the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield, York, Bradford, Huddersfield, Hull, Leeds Beckett, Sheffield Hallam, and Teesside, forming a strong regional training partnership. In YBDTP you'll benefit from a regional doctoral training programme that has interdisciplinary collaboration at its core. The aim is to enable you to develop a range of research skills in biological, biotechnological, and biochemical areas, as well as equip you with core data analysis and professional skills necessary for bioscience research and related non-academic careers.
The YBDTP and the University of York are committed to recruiting future scientists regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or career pathway to date. We understand that commitment and excellence can be shown in many ways and we have built our recruitment process to reflect this. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, particularly those underrepresented in science, who have curiosity, creativity and a drive to learn new skills.
The Department of Biology holds an Athena SWAN Gold Award. We are committed to supporting equality and diversity and strive to provide a positive working environment for all staff and students.
Entry Requirements:
Students with, or expecting to gain, at least an upper second class honours degree, or equivalent, are invited to apply. The interdisciplinary nature of this programme means that we welcome applications from students with any biological, chemical, and/or physical science backgrounds, or students with a mathematical background who are interested in using their skills in addressing biological questions.
How to apply
To be considered for this project, you will need to complete an expression of interest.
Please note that students who need a visa to study in the UK are NOT eligible for this project. Other universities that are part of the YBDTP may consider international students. If you have questions about the application process, email YBDTP@leeds.ac.uk
If you have questions about this project, please email seth.davis@york.ac.uk
How the YBDTP selects candidates:
Project supervisors will nominate their strongest candidate to the YBDTP Selection Committee. The Committee will rank candidates across all partner universities and shortlist candidates for interview. If you're shortlisted for a York project, you'll be invited to attend an interview in person in February 2027 in the Department of Biology at the University of York. You'll be notified a week after the interview whether your application has been successful, placed on a reserve list, or unsuccessful. If you are successful, you'll be required to confirm your intention to accept the studentship within 10 days.
Complete the YBDTP expression of interest by Wednesday 6 January 2027.
Funding Notes
A tax-free annual stipend at the standard UKRI rate (£21,805 for 2026/27 entry), research costs, and tuition fees at UK rate.
International students who need a visa to study in the UK are NOT eligible to apply to this project.