Nottingham Trent University Vacancy: Research Fellow – Microbiology
Nottingham Trent University (NTU) are inviting applications for a Research Fellow in Microbiology.
Salary: £32,397-£37,280 per annum (pro rata)
Duration:Six months fixed-term contract
Closing Date: 2 February 2025
Plant diseases in glasshouses and polytunnels cause significant loss of crops each year. However, there is a growing need to lower pesticide usage to reduce environmental contamination, risk to human health, and the evolution of microbial resistance that may cause collateral resistances to other antimicrobial products.
NTU are seeking a motivated Research Fellow to join their industry-linked research project, funded by the National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC), which aims to develop an antimicrobial coating for plastics that reduces the prevalence of microbial plant pathogens within greenhouse and polytunnel settings with emphasis on fungal disease. The coating has been developed by NBIC and NTU industry partner Gencoa Ltd. and the Research Fellow on this project will test the antimicrobial efficacy of this coating i) in laboratory conditions using standard assays and test organisms, ii) by developing more real-world relevant antimicrobial testing conditions and iii) by testing coated materials for microbial presence after exposure to glasshouse and polytunnel environments. This project will provide the data needed to take development of the Gencoa Ltd. coatings into the agricultural space.
This project is collaboration between The McLean research group based on NTU’s Clifton campus, the agriculture facilities on NTU’s Brackenhurst campus, and Gencoa Ltd. The vast majority of work will be undertaken in the Medical Technologies Innovation Facility on Clifton campus, with a few trips between Clifton campus and Brackenhurst campus required to set up glasshouse/polytunnel experiments and to retrieve samples. Experience in agriculture related microbiology and/or fungal research would be advantageous, though not essential. NTU particularly welcome applications from researchers with experience working with moulds.
For full details of this opportunity and to apply, please visit the Nottingham Trent University website.