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HomeDepartment of ChemistryAbout usNews2026Two pioneering training programmes will provide fully-funded PhD opportunities at York Chemistry

Two pioneering training programmes will provide fully-funded PhD opportunities for the next generation of researchers at York Chemistry

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Posted on Thursday 22 January 2026

Two new doctoral training awards at the University of York will be used to train the next generation of scientists through specialised PhD programmes. They will equip these new researchers with the technical and transferable skills needed to contribute to the UK’s bioeconomy, while fostering a collaborative and inclusive training environment.

BioBoost

Bio-Boost will revolutionise our biological understanding of wastewater treatment and tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing society. Led by the University of York and Newcastle University in partnership with UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR), the Environment Agency, Oxford Nanopore Technologies, and Waters Corporation, Bio-Boost will train 21 doctoral graduates with the skills, vision, and entrepreneurial mindset to drive innovation across the public, private, and third sectors.

Wastewater treatment (WWT) is the largest global application of biotechnology, directly contributing to 11 of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, despite its critical role in public health, energy security, and environmental protection, WWT has not fully harnessed recent advances in biology, genomics, chemistry, bioengineering, and digital innovation. Climate change, antimicrobial resistance, and increasing societal and industrial water demands pose urgent challenges that require a new generation of skilled scientists.

BIO-BOOST students will work on a challenging research project aligned to one of three cohort-specific challenges: 

  • Delivery of an integrated understanding of health that adopts innovative approaches to (eco)epidemiology that maximise the removal of communicable diseases to enhance health security and pandemic preparedness
  • Protection of aquatic environments through enhanced biological removal of chemical pollutants, and ensuring the biotechnological resilience of WWT in the face of climate change
  • Creating renewable bioresources for clean and sustainable industry growth to improve energy security, and adopting circular innovative solutions and new revenue streams

Students will receive high quality training in WWT operation and management, environmental engineering, microbiology, post-genomic science, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, green chemistry, analytical chemistry, and the development and application of digital shadows and twins.

More details and an application form for Bio-Boost. The closing date for this year is Wednesday 11th February 2026.

BioProcess

In partnership with the Universities of Manchester and Bristol, BioProcess will offer training in biocatalysis, protein engineering and biomanufacturing with a specific industry focus. BioProcess will span four scientific pillars: design and discovery of new enzyme chemistry, laboratory automation and AI for accelerated protein engineering, assembly of enzyme cascades and cell factories, and realising biotransformations at scale.

Students will be based in one of the three universities and will spend a minimum of three months working on industry placements to gain experience in a commercial setting. Training will span four scientific pillars: 

  • Design and discovery of new enzyme chemistry
  • Laboratory automation and AI for accelerated protein engineering
  • Assembly of enzyme cascades and cell factories
  • Realising biotransformations at scale.

More details and an expression of interest form for BioProcess.