Fully Funded PhD Opportunity in Plant–Microbe Interactions & Fungal Ecology at at Maynooth University, Ireland

About the position
A fantastic fully funded PhD position is available at Maynooth University under the supervision of Dr. Grace Hoysted. The project focuses on improving crop resilience to climate change through beneficial plant–fungal symbioses and molecular ecology research. This four year project will use molecular approaches to elucidate complex interactions between barley and diverse lineages of mycorrhizal fungi. Mycorrhizal symbiotic relationships may offer a potential natural-based solution to mitigate crop stress in agricultural ecosystems. Plant tolerance to two stresses relevant to the Irish context, waterlogging and fungal pathogens will be investigated.

This project will allow the PhD student to develop strong skills in (i) fungal biology by working both with mycorrhizal fungi and fungal pathogens; (ii) plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses; (iii) molecular approaches such as the monitoring of gene expression using RNA-seq.

Scholarship Benefits
• The selected candidate will receive:
• €25,000 annual tax-free stipend
• Full tuition fee coverage
• Funding for up to 4 years
• Opportunity to work in a cutting-edge molecular biology and plant science research environment
• Training in transcriptomics and bioinformatics approaches

Eligibility Criteria
Applicants should have:

• Essential Qualifications: First-class or high upper second-class honours degree (2.1 or above) OR MSc degree in: Plant Molecular Biology, Fungal Biology, Botany Microbiology
• Environmental Science Related biological sciences
• Essential Experience
• Experience in plant biology, fungal biology, or microbiology
• Laboratory experience with molecular or biochemical techniques
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Strong written and oral English communication skills

Desirable Skills
• Experience in statistical analysis
• Experience analysing RNA-seq/transcriptomics datasets
• Bioinformatics experience
• Project management and research output delivery skills

English Language Requirement
Applicants whose first language is not English must provide proof of English language proficiency according to Maynooth University postgraduate admission requirements.

Application Procedure
• Applicants should submit the following directly to Dr. Grace Hoysted.
• Updated CV
• Contact information of 2 referees
• A personal statement (maximum 2 pages) explaining: Why you are interested in the project Relevant research experience Career goals and motivation
Email applications to: [email protected]