Tag Archives: PhD thesis

PhD Position on Polymer Biodegradation and Extracellular Enzymes in Aquatic Environments

Are you passionate about conducting fundamental research that creates an impact on
sustainability? The Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science at the University of Vienna is offering a PhD position to explore the role of extracellular enzymes in the biodegradation of water-soluble polymers in aquatic environments.

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Two PhD positions on PFAS AOPs

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Two PhD positions are available at the Pharmacological Institute of Heidelberg University to study PFAS Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs). The first position is in the field of environmental toxicology and the second is in the field of tissue engineering, both looking at of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

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PhD Position on Impacts of Multiple Stressors on beavers

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The University of the Highlands and Islands together with the ECOWILD “Centre for Ecologically Relevant Multiple Stressor Effects on Wetland Wildscapes” are looking for a PhD student to fill a position on the Impacts of multiple stressors (pollutants and disease) on beavers

Background

Eurasian beavers are semi-aquatic herbivorous rodents that became extinct in England around the 16th Century. Populations are beginning to return within some catchments in England, and the DRAHS programme has been set up to enable pathological investigations, tissue sample archiving, and background data collation from beaver carcasses.

This PhD will tap into this established program – and begin to build a holistic understanding of the exposure and impacts of a mixture of chemical pollutants (i.e., heavy metals, POPs, emerging pollutants) and disease agents (infectious agents, e.g., viruses, bacteria; non-infectious agents, e.g., nutrient deficiencies) within beavers, to inform future recovery. Likewise, it will help identify potential threats to other biota in the context of a One Health approach. Beavers represent a priority species for recovery and a ‘new’ semi-aquatic herbivorous biomonitoring sentinel.

Aims

This project will involve targeted and non-targeted chemical analysis of new and archived sample tissues – employing techniques including ICP-OES/MS for inorganics and GC-FID/MS, GC-MS/MS and LC-MS/MS for organics. State-of-the-art instruments and facilities for such analysis exist within the host institutes (UHI, HWU, UKCEH). Regarding disease detection, the PhD student will work with the DRAHS group which currently delivers all beaver post-mortem examinations, diagnostic pathology, and sample archiving. The wider stakeholder group will also facilitate access to other potentially valuable metadata such as relevant catchment water quality.

The PhD can begin to explore a range of questions, potentially including:
– Are there spatial or temporal differences in disease presence and/or chemical pollution levels that could impact beaver population recovery?
– What are the priority chemical substances of concern within (beaver-created) wetlands in England?
– Is there a link between levels of chemicals and pathological findings in the beavers?
– What is the risk from disease transmission between beavers and other biota?
– Are there new chemical indicators that could be further developed and reported on (in future) to inform environmental policy?

The student will develop expertise in analytical chemistry, disease diagnosis, chemical fate and biomonitoring, statistical analyses, policy and regulation. All within the context of a broader ecological understanding of freshwater ecosystems and wildlife health. They will benefit from the opportunity to work with project supervisors at Natural England, at the Institute of Zoology (DRAHS) and with several academic partners.   

Application details

For more information on how to apply, please visit the University of the Highlands and Islands website or the ECOWILD website. Application deadline: Thursday, January 9, 2025.