School of Biological Sciences

Project 1:  Plankton in Lough Foyle

Background:
Seasonal patterns in temperate plankton are fairly well understood; however, there is a need to have site-specific information to inform managers of likely spatfall periods of commercial species such as Ostrea edulis.  It is also invaluable to pick up periods of bloom of phytoplankton, which drive productivity, at a local scale and to improve understanding of plantonic grazers such as copepods.

General objective:
To quantify seasonal nutrient, climatic and plankton cycles in Lough Foyle.
Essential requirements:  2.1 degree in a relevant biological discipline; a clean driving licence and access to a car.
Desirable skills/experience:  Field sampling on boats and microscopic identification of plankton.

Project 2:  Assessment of production grow out strategies for commercial development of European Perch (Perca fluviatilis)

Background:
European Perch (Perca fluviatilis) has become an important candidate species for the future diversification of the European aquaculture industry.  Buoyed by strong market demand the interest in cultivating European perch has resulted in the establishment of a number of farms in recent years. Although most commercial development and experience to date across Europe has been in recirculating aquaculture Systems (RAS) existing trout farms with flow through systems may be suitable for the culture of perch.  Commercial grow out strategies have not yet been developed in Ireland and there is interest from the existing trout sector in farming European perch.

General objectives:  To develop and test growout monitoring tools for producers.  This will involve recording and modelling food input, growth, sex ratios and environmental variables (such as temperature) over the early period of growout.
Essential requirements:  2.1 degree in a relevant biological discipline; a clean driving licence and access to a car.
Desirable skills/experience:  Practical experience in fisheries or aquaculture.

Project 3:  The marine acoustic environment and megafauna around the coast of the Inishowen Penisula.

Background:
The area around the coast of the Inishowen Penisula is rich in marine life and sits on the Malin Shelf close to the southern reaches of the Islay front.  New technologies allow for a better insight into the areas acoustically active species and acoustic environment.  The successful student will be expected to generate and undertake the analysis of data from passive acoustic recording units which will require mathematical and computational skills to process large, high bandwidth data-sets.  Both bio-acoustic analysis and ambient noise assessments will be undertaken, and the results considered with respect to developing marine tourism and the potential interactions of megafauna with anthropogenic activities.

General objective:
To develop a data base and an analysis of the marine acoustic environment and megafauna around the coast of the Inishowen Penisula.
Essential requirements:  2.1 degree in a relevant biological discipline; a clean driving licence and access to a car.
Desirable skills/experience:  Field sampling on boats good mathematical and computational skills.

Project 4:  Impact assessment of anthropogenic mediated habitat alteration on the genetic structure of the Lough Derg brown trout population.

Background:
Human activities are rapidly altering the living conditions of many salmonid populations.  The building of dams and weirs in lakes is of particular relevance, as these constructions can obstruct migration routes and hence potentially change important life history traits, patterns of distribution and levels of genetic variation among populations.  Lough Derg, a relatively small lake of some 9km2 located in West Ireland is surrounded by three small inflowing rivers and a large outflowing river upon which a juvenile salmon rearing unit has been built.  A concrete weir was constructed approximately 20 years ago at the mouth of the outflowing river, which is thought to have limited upstream brown trout juvenile migration.

General objective:
To assess the impact of the weir construct on native Lough Derg brown trout populations using a combination of ecological and modern genetic approaches.  The existence of archived historical material will allow for the quantification of genetic differences over time.
Essential requirements:  2.1 degree in a relevant biological discipline; a clean driving licence and access to a car.
Desirable skills/experience:  Field sampling, practical experience with fish population genetics, willingness to learn maths & statistics.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Each studentship has an annual stipend of £13,940 plus fees (full time 2013-14) and is open to any suitably qualified candidate (at least at an upper second class degree in a suitable subject) from the UK or other EU country.  Funding is available for two years subject to satisfactory progress.
Applicants whose first language is not English must provide documentary evidence when applying that they can meet the required standard of English (TOEFL 87 with minimum scores of 22 in reading; 21 in listening; 23 in speaking and 21 in writing).

These projects are funded by the European Union's INTERREG IVA Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body and co-funded by the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) and the Department of Communities Heritage and Local Government (Republic of Ireland).

Applications should be made through the Postgraduate Direct Application Portal.
Start Date:  Successful candidates will be expected to start by 15 July 2013.

CLOSING DATE:  5pm 7th June, 2013.  Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed shortly afterwards.

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Title:  Improvement of efficiencies of nitrogen utilisation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in dairy production
Supervisors:  Dr Tianhai Yan (AFBI), Dr Alistair Carson (AFBI) and Dr Niamh O'Connell (QUB)

Project description
Agriculture is responsible for 28% and 21% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, respectively.  The UK and Irish Governments have a number of targets to meet in terms of reducing these emissions, for example the UK Climate Change Committee requires an 8.5% reduction in GHG emissions from agriculture by 2020.  The main types of GHG that arise from agriculture are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.  This PhD study is part of a large-scale project with the overall aim of reducing nitrogen excretion in the urine of grazing dairy cows, thus reducing nitrous oxide emissions.

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate with an interest in animal production science.  The successful candidate will join a large team involving data analysis and animal experiments to examine effects of dietary and animal factors on rumen methanogenesis, efficiency of animal production and excretion of nitrogen in the urine of dairy cows offered fresh grass-based dies.

Eligibility
Applicants should have good numeracy skills, and be highly motivated, intellectually inquisitive and hard-working individuals with a minimum of a first class or upper second class degree in agriculture, biological science or related subject.  Applicants with lower second class degree at undergraduate level but with a relevant Masters qualification (e.g. in Animal Science) are also eligible to apply.

Informal enquiries about the research project should be sent to Dr Tianhai Yan (tianhai.yan@afbini.gov.uk) and Dr Alistair Carson (alistair.carson@afbini.gov.uk) and about the University should contact Dr Niamh O’Connell (niamh.oconnell@qub.ac.uk).

Application deadline:
Friday 7 June, 2013.

Applications for this position should be made using the Direct Applications Portal and include the name of the project and list Dr Niamh O'Connell as supervisor.

Funding notes:
This PhD is funded by the Republic of Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.  This studentship is for three years and will cover full-time UK/EU tuition fees plus a stipend of €16,000 per annum.  The main base for the successful applicant will be at AFBI Hillsborough.

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Title:  Rational modulation of enzyme flexibility:  a new approach in enzyme engineering for green chemistry
Supervisors:  Dr David Timson and Dr Meilan Huang.

Project Description:
Galactokinase is a metabolic enzyme which catalyses the formation of galactose 1-phosphate from galactose and ATP.  Sugar phosphates are important precursors in the synthesis of a number of important molecules, including aminoglycoside antibiotics.  Their chemical synthesis is difficult and requires the use of harmful solvents and reagents.  A biocatalytic approach would remove the need for these reagents while also enhancing yield and purity.  However, enzymes are generally highly specific and only catalyse reactions of limited range of substrates.  The specificity of human galactokinase has recently been relaxed through site-directed mutagenesis, albeit in a way which results in substantial loss of activity (work funded by the EPA's Green Chemistry initiative as part of the STRIVE programme).  This work suggested that increased protein flexibility was a key factor in altering the specificity and that further improvements could be made with a greater understanding of the dynamics of the enzyme.  Therefore, the student will:

1. Carry out computational simulations of the dynamics of galactokinase (both wild type and specificity-relaxed mutants) to understand how flexibility influences catalysis and specificity
2. Test predictions from this modelling using site-directed mutagenesis and biochemical experiments which probe the influence of flexibility
3. Use a combined computational and experimental approach to "design in" altered flexibility in a way which is predicted to extend the specificity of the enzyme so that it will catalyse the phosphorylation of substrates of commercial interest

The closing date for applications is Friday 24 May, 2013.

To apply, please use the Direct Applications Portal.

If you are resident in the UK or elsewhere in the EU, it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED that you refer to the terms and conditions of DEL postgraduate studentships to ascertain whether you are eligible for a studentship covering fees and maintenance or a studentship covering fees only.

Please note that non-EU residents are NOT ELIGIBLE for DEL studentships.

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The School of Biological Sciences at Queen’s has been awarded the prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award in recognition of its outstanding progress in promoting gender equality and addressing the unequal representation of women in science.  It is the first School of Biological Sciences in the UK to achieve this prestigious award, with Queen’s becoming one of only three UK universities to hold a Gold departmental award.

The Athena SWAN Charter was introduced in 2005 to advance the representation of women in science, engineering and technology and to address gender inequalities and improve career progression for female academics.  The Athena SWAN awards recognise and celebrate good practice in recruiting, retaining and promoting women.   More...

Athena SWAN awards announced (November 2012 submissions)

 

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Tesco Chief Executive, Philip Clarke officially launched Queen’s new Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) which will improve global food safety through the establishment of an international ‘food-fortress’ in Belfast.

An investment of over £33m from Queen’s will see the Institute play a key role in national and global efforts to provide the world’s growing population with a sustainable, safe and secure supply of high quality food. [More... ]

Tesco CEO launches the new Institute - video

Please visit the Institute for Global Food Security web site.

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