PhD Studentship: Using modelling and experiments to understand how, when and where viruses undergo recombination in plants

Plant viruses pose a major challenge to global food production. Their ability to evolve, overcome crop defences, cross species barriers and emerge in more damaging forms threatens agricultural sustainability worldwide. Yet we still do not understand one of the key processes driving viral evolution within infected plants: when and where viral genomes recombine to generate new variants. Recombination occurs when two viruses exchange genetic material, creating novel hybrid viruses with potentially altered host rang...

Opportunity details

Plant viruses pose a major challenge to global food production. Their ability to evolve, overcome crop defences, cross species barriers and emerge in more damaging forms threatens agricultural sustainability worldwide. Yet we still do not understand one of the key processes driving viral evolution within infected plants: when and where viral genomes recombine to generate new variants. Recombination occurs when two viruses exchange genetic material, creating novel hybrid viruses with potentially altered host ranges, virulence, or ability to overcome host resistance. Understanding the circumstances that promote recombination could reveal opportunities to limit viral evolution before new pathogenic variants emerge. In this project, you will combine computational and experimental approaches to investigate where and when recombination occurs within infected plants, addressing a fundamental question at the intersection of plant pathology, evolution and food security. A central puzzle motivates this work. Recombination requires different viral strains to encounter one another within the host. However, infections by distinct strains typically form largely non-overlapping patches within plant tissues, limiting opportunities for interaction. How, then, do recombinant viruses arise? To address this question, you will begin by analysing a collection of fluorescence images of real viral infections that reveal how viruses spread through plants and where different strains come into contact. To that end, you will use both traditional image-analysis methods and modern machine-learning approaches. The insights gained from this analysis will be used to develop a multiscale model of viral spread within the plant, linking processes occurring at the level of individual cells to patterns o...

Eligibility and requirements: Review the official provider page for the current applicant conditions and required documents.

Funding and benefits

Funding eligibility: UK Students, EU Students, International Students. Funding amount: The studentship will provide funding of fees and a stipend of £21,805 per annum for 2026/7.

How to apply

To address this question, you will begin by analysing a collection of fluorescence images of real viral infections that reveal how viruses spread through plants and where different strains come into contact.

Open the official application information

Verify the deadline and final conditions on the official provider page before submitting an application.