PhD Studentship: Biorecovery of Rare Earth Elements Using Lanthanophores, Newcastle University, UK

Summary

This is a prestigious 4-year PhD studentship based at Newcastle University in partnership with the Diamond Light Source. The project integrates cutting-edge structural biology, microbiology, AI-guided protein engineering, and chemical analysis. The core objective is to uncover the molecular mechanisms of rare-earth element (REE) binding in lanthanophores and investigate their application in recovering REEs from environmental samples.

PhD Studentship: Biorecovery of Rare Earth Elements Using Lanthanophores, Newcastle University, UK

Key Details

Eligibility & Qualifications

• Academic Requirement: Minimum 2:1 Honours degree (or international equivalent) in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Molecular or Structural Biology, or a related discipline.
• Funding Eligibility: Open only to students who are eligible for the Home rate fees.
• Funding Package: 100% Home fees covered plus a minimum tax-free stipend of £31,805 per year.

Job / Project Description

The successful candidate will work at the intersection of biology and chemistry to solve environmental and technological challenges. The project aims to:

• Establish the molecular basis of how lanthanophores bind to rare-earth elements.
• Utilize AI-guided protein engineering to optimize these systems.
• Explore practical bio-recovery applications of REEs from various environmental samples.

Supervisors: Prof Paul Race, Dr Jem Stach, Dr Jon Sellars, Prof Justin Perry, Dr Christian Orr.

Sponsor: DFA NERC

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted online through the Newcastle Apply Portal.

When filling out your application, please ensure you use the following identifiers:

• Programme Code: 8020F
• Studentship Reference: SNES311

For further inquiries or informal discussions about the role, you can contact the lead supervisor, Prof Paul Race, at paul.race1@newcastle.ac.uk.

Link