The University of Bath is advertising a competitive PhD on food-cell adaptation, reprogramming and manufacturing for cellular agriculture. UK and international applicants may compete for funding. The deadline is 29 November 2026. The expected start is 4 October 2027. Applicants should consider the research fit and financial conditions together before deciding whether to apply.
Research Focus
The FARM project develops mammalian cell lines for scalable meat and dairy production. It investigates adaptation, cellular traits and performance under manufacturing conditions. The work connects cell engineering with sustainable biomanufacturing. Read the project description as a starting point for identifying a question that interests you, rather than assuming that every possible method will appear in the eventual thesis.
Location and Academic Team
The university base is Bath, United Kingdom. The research concerns cellular agriculture. Chemical Engineering hosts the opportunity. It belongs to the faculty’s studentship competition. Dr Pedro Silva Couto is the named supervisor. Informal enquiries are encouraged.
Who Can Apply
Applicants need a first or 2:1 honours degree or international equivalent; a master’s is advantageous. Relevant engineering or food-science backgrounds and hands-on mammalian cell-culture, gene-delivery, expansion and characterisation experience are requested. Non-UK applicants not currently studying in the UK must meet the English requirement before the deadline. Check the current programme requirements for the precise qualifications and supporting documents needed. A relevant subject or an eligible nationality does not by itself guarantee admission or an award.
Funding and International Conditions
Competitive funding covers tuition, £1,000 annual training support and a stipend listed at £21,805 for 2026/27. Overseas awards are capped, and visa and Immigration Health Surcharge expenses must be met personally. The stated stipend does not confirm the 2027/28 rate. Review the written award terms before making financial commitments.
Exploring the Research Problem
For optional preparation, imagine comparing two research approaches that improve different measures of performance. Ask what the intended application requires before deciding which result is more useful. Consider whether success on one measurement is sufficient when another relevant characteristic changes. This is a hypothetical research-thinking exercise, not a prescribed laboratory protocol, an advertised admissions task or a promise about the cell types and results that the successful applicant will work with.
You could extend the example by considering whether a promising result remains consistent across repeated observations. Explain what evidence would be needed before attributing a difference to the intended change rather than another aspect of the comparison. Separate a useful preliminary observation from a conclusion that requires broader validation. A clear discussion of that distinction can demonstrate research judgement without implying that you have already solved the scientific or manufacturing questions described in the announcement.
Presenting Evidence of Preparation
If you have relevant laboratory experience, describe the task, your own responsibility, the technique and the checks used to interpret the result. Distinguish performing a procedure independently from observing it or analysing data produced by another person. Explain what you learned from an unexpected result and identify a realistic skill you would want to develop further. Keep descriptions of technical proficiency precise, and use the institution’s actual document requirements to determine what supporting evidence to submit.
If supporting materials are requested, make your individual contribution clear when discussing work completed with other people. Distinguish a class exercise, an unpublished report and a peer-reviewed research output instead of presenting them as equivalent achievements. Explain what your evidence can establish and what remained unresolved, including any limitation that would matter to the conclusion. Adapt these preparation suggestions to the actual application questions, since optional advice does not add requirements to the programme’s document checklist or guarantee a particular assessment outcome.
How to Apply
Use the current programme instructions to establish the submission route and complete supporting-document checklist. Review the exact project title and academic contacts wherever the form asks you to identify your research preference. An informal academic conversation can clarify fit, but it does not replace a formal application or constitute an admission or funding offer.
- View scholarship details and follow the linked institutional application instructions.
- Select the Chemical Engineering PhD and University of Bath URSA funding.
- Identify the exact project and supervisor, observing the maximum of two project choices, and submit by 29 November 2026.
Before Submitting
Information was checked on 23 October 2026. Reconfirm the deadline and current terms before submission, particularly where your ability to enrol depends on receiving an international award. Keep a copy of the final form and any written clarification that materially affects your eligibility, financial expectations or decision to accept an offer.