PhD: Discovery and Engineering of Fungal Maleidrides for Metabolite Innovation

PhD: Discovery and Engineering of Fungal Maleidrides for Metabolite Innovation

Research snapshot: 6 November 2026

Quick Decision

Strong but verify fit. This is a four-year, UKRI-BBSRC-funded SWBio doctoral project built around a specific gap in fungal natural-products research: many fungal genomes contain predicted biosynthetic pathways whose chemical products remain unknown. The proposed work will connect computational candidate discovery with fungal research and chemical characterization, then investigate selected pathways and prioritize resulting compounds for further study. The lead supervisors have recent publications directly on maleidrides, giving the project a visible research lineage. The advertised application deadline is 12:00 GMT on 2 December 2026; the expected start is September 2027. Funding is subject to the competitive DTP selection process. UWE Bristol's current studentship listing Official project specification, Project 3531

The project specification explicitly states that the student will register at both UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol and receive a joint degree from both. Swansea University is named as a collaborator. This confirmed cross-institution structure is a distinctive strength, while the division of day-to-day supervision, site schedule, facility access and travel support is not published. Official project specification

Before applying, the useful next step is to ask the lead supervisor to confirm academic/residence eligibility, the main supervisory contact, how time is divided between the two Bristol institutions, and which DTP placement route applies. Before accepting an offer, check the written 2027–28 stipend and fee terms and build a full-year budget: UWE's published Bristol example covers 40 weeks and excludes summer and several one-off costs. SWBio funding UWE Bristol student budget

Research Problem and Doctoral Work

What Is Unsolved and Why It Matters

Fungal genomes contain many predicted biosynthetic gene clusters, but a large share of these pathways and their natural products have not been characterized. Maleidrides are a structurally diverse family of fungal natural products with reported biological activities, making them a useful setting for asking how candidate pathways relate to observed chemical diversity. The central research problem is therefore the gap between genome-based predictions and compounds that can be observed and studied. The project specification describes discovery and characterization as its goals; it does not guarantee a particular compound, activity, publication or commercial product. Official project specification 2023 field review

Work, Methods, and Potential Outputs

The advertised doctoral work is interdisciplinary and can be summarized at the level of method categories:

• use computational analysis of fungal genomes to identify and compare candidate biosynthetic pathways;
• combine fungal microbiology with metabolomic and analytical-chemistry approaches to connect candidate pathways to chemical products;
• investigate selected pathways using molecular and synthetic biology: the original listing identifies transcription-factor engineering, CRISPR editing and heterologous expression as approaches for silent or weakly expressed pathways, and combinatorial biosynthesis to explore pathway combinations; and
• prioritize newly observed compounds through biological-activity screening.

These are broad research categories, not a fixed sequence of tasks. The project description presents an integrated discovery pipeline, but the exact compounds, pathway targets, milestones and decision points will depend on results. A negative or inconclusive result is possible in natural-product discovery, so ask how the team would redirect the work if candidate predictions and chemical observations do not align. Official project specification

School, Programme and Field Context

The project is hosted across UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol. The specification states that registration is at both institutions and that the completed PhD results in a joint degree. Swansea University is a collaborator, not a stated degree-awarding institution. UWE's lead supervisor is based in its School of Applied Sciences; the Bristol lead is in the School of Biological Sciences. Official project specification Katherine Williams, UWE profile Andy Bailey, Bristol profile

The SWBio DTP is a four-year cohort programme. Its general structure includes taught units and rotations in year one, followed by the main PhD project in years two to four, cohort activities and a placement pathway. The general programme describes a Professional Internships for PhD Students placement for standard studentships and a partner placement for CASE studentships. The current UWE listing does not label this project as CASE, so confirm the project's placement classification, timing and any associated travel support. The DTP's general selection page describes a two-stage process: supervisor consideration/interview followed by a DTP interview day, with assessment of project fit, researcher potential and communication. It also says that prior hands-on research is not the only way to demonstrate potential. The general page's displayed interview dates are for an earlier cycle; the date and format for this intake should be confirmed. SWBio programme SWBio selection process UWE Bristol studentship listing

Research-Quality Signals

The 2021 Research Excellence Framework provides relevant subject-level context for Bristol: 58% of its Biological Sciences profile was rated 4-star and 37% 3-star; Chemistry was 74% 4-star and 26% 3-star. These figures describe institutional research submissions, not the quality of this particular supervisory team or project. UWE reports 76% of its overall profile at 4-star/3-star and 69% for Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Science. Its submitted-unit table has no Biological Sciences unit, so that adjacent score is not directly comparable with Bristol's biology result. These are research-assessment signals rather than current league-table rankings. Bristol REF 2021 results UWE REF 2021 results

Both institutions publish information about relevant research and facilities. UWE describes its science facilities, and Bristol's Biological Sciences research page outlines its postgraduate research environment. These institutional pages establish a broader setting, not guaranteed access to any specific instrument, facility, training slot or cross-site service for this student. Ask the supervisors which resources are committed to the project and where they are located. UWE science facilities Bristol Biological Sciences research degrees

Supervisor and Lab Assessment

Supervisor Research Directions

The listed lead supervisors are Dr Katherine Williams (UWE Bristol) and Dr Andy Bailey (University of Bristol). Williams describes her research as fungal genomics, molecular biology and natural products, including discovery of fungal compounds. Bailey's Bristol profile lists fungal molecular genetics and fungal genomics among his research interests. Their recent joint work is a close subject match to the advertised maleidride project. Williams's UWE profile Williams's Bristol profile Bailey's Bristol profile

Professor Matthew Crump is also listed as a supervisor; his public profile is associated with NMR and structural biology. Dr Claudio Greco is the Swansea collaborator, and his university group describes natural-product and synthetic-microbiology research. Dr Tim Craig is listed as an additional UWE supervisor; his public profile describes molecular-neuroscience research, but the project listing does not explain his specific role here. These complementary or less direct profiles do not establish who will provide daily supervision. Confirm the primary contact, meeting structure and responsibilities across the team. Project specification Matthew Crump's Bristol profile Claudio Greco's Swansea profile Swansea natural-products group Tim Craig's UWE profile

Recent Important Publications

Three recent papers give a useful view of the team's research continuity:

1. Williams, Bailey and collaborators, 2025, “In vivo and in vitro investigations provide insights into maleidride biosynthesis in fungi.” This peer-reviewed study directly concerns maleidrides and adds recent evidence about selected pathway relationships. It is the clearest signal that the lead team has active work close to the proposed topic. It does not promise that the PhD will use the same targets or reach the same outcomes. RSC Advances paper
2. Williams, Bailey and collaborators, 2023, “Maleidride biosynthesis: construction of dimeric anhydrides—more than just heads or tails.” This review synthesizes the field and frames unresolved questions about how pathway variation relates to the diversity of maleidride structures. Because it is a review, it is a map of existing evidence rather than new primary results. Natural Product Reports review record
3. Williams, Bailey and collaborators, 2022, “In silico analyses of maleidride biosynthetic gene clusters.” This paper reports putative candidates through computational analysis, which aligns with the project's genome-led discovery component. Candidate prediction alone does not demonstrate production of a compound. Fungal Biology and Biotechnology paper

A 2023 Bailey-team paper on pleuromutilin congeners offers adjacent evidence of fungal natural-product research experience, but concerns a different compound family and should not be treated as direct maleidride evidence. Chemical Science paper record

Funding, Application, and Living Cost

Funding and Eligibility

UWE advertises this as a fully funded four-year UKRI-BBSRC SWBio DTP studentship, expected to start in September 2027. The DTP funding page describes the package as covering a stipend, tuition fees, research and training costs, and ring-fenced training support. The page still shows an example stipend from 2024–25, so it should not be used as a current amount. UKRI's latest published full-time minimum is £21,805 stipend and £5,238 fee level for 2026–27; it does not confirm this project's 2027–28 award. The written offer should govern the actual stipend, fee coverage and allowances. UWE studentship listing SWBio funding UKRI stipend and fee guidance

SWBio states that up to 30% of its UKRI-funded studentships may be available to applicants assessed as international-fee students. This is a partnership-level cap, not a published allocation for this specific project. The DTP says eligible international award-holders are not required to cover the home/international fee difference, but visa charges, healthcare surcharge, relocation and guarantor costs may sit outside the studentship. Residence classification and English-language requirements should be checked with the institutions for each applicant's circumstances. SWBio eligibility SWBio funding SWBio application guidance

The application must go through the central SWBio process by the advertised deadline. The current project listing gives 12:00 GMT, Wednesday 2 December 2026. The DTP describes guided questions about motivation, experience and qualifications in place of a CV and personal statement, plus references, project details and supporting academic documents. Its selection process is competitive and has two stages; meeting minimum academic criteria does not itself guarantee a studentship. UWE application listing SWBio application guidance SWBio selection process

Bristol Living Costs

UWE's example student budget is £337–£364 per week, or £13,460–£14,560 over 40 weeks. It assumes accommodation for ten months and excludes July and August, travel home, deposits and other one-off costs. UWE's private-renting guidance gives about £500–£700 per month plus bills for a room in a shared house; actual rent and included bills vary. Compared with the 2026–27 UKRI minimum stipend, the 40-week budget alone is roughly 62–67% of that amount, before extending the budget over a full year or adding immigration and relocation costs. This ratio is a rough planning aid, not a personal affordability result. UWE Bristol student budget UWE private accommodation guidance UKRI stipend and fee guidance

Applicant Fit and Preparation

Required Background and Skills

The advertised academic threshold is a first or upper-second-class UK honours degree, or equivalent, in an appropriate science or technology area. Applicants with a lower-second degree may be considered if they also have a master's degree or substantial relevant research or non-academic experience. The project asks for interest in fungi, natural products or biosynthetic pathways; willingness to build both computational and laboratory skills; quantitative experience; careful analysis and communication; and collaboration across the two Bristol institutions. Official project specification SWBio eligibility

Prior microbiology, fungal work, analytical chemistry, bioinformatics, genomics or metabolomics is described as desirable preparation, not a universal entry requirement. The project promises interdisciplinary training across computational, laboratory, metabolomic and natural-products work. SWBio says it assesses project understanding, motivation, researcher potential and communication, and that potential can be shown through relevant employment or other experience rather than only hands-on research. Official project specification SWBio selection process

Suggested Preparation

Application materials can make the interdisciplinary case concrete by showing one example of quantitative reasoning, data analysis or computational work; one example of careful laboratory or research practice if available; and evidence of clear communication and collaboration. A concise explanation of why connecting fungal biology with chemical characterization is interesting will be more useful than listing techniques without context. Applicants should distinguish their existing skills from those they are ready to learn. For a non-UK degree, confirm equivalency and residence status early; international applicants should also verify the applicable English threshold and any visa-related timing directly with the university.

Next Actions and Questions to Verify

Before Applying

• Ask Dr Williams who will be the primary day-to-day supervisor and how responsibilities are divided among the listed supervisors.
• Confirm the expected time split between UWE Bristol and the University of Bristol, how joint registration is administered, and whether travel between sites is reimbursed.
• Ask which facilities, analytical support and training are specifically committed to the project.
• Confirm whether the studentship is standard or CASE and which placement is required, when it takes place, and what travel/accommodation support applies.
• Confirm overseas degree equivalency, residence classification and the project-specific English-language threshold.

At Interview

• Prepare to explain the research gap, the advertised stages of work and why more than one discipline is needed; the DTP describes a short research presentation and questions on project fit and researcher potential.
• Ask how the project would be redirected if computational candidates do not correspond to observed chemistry, and what progress milestones the supervisors expect in the first year.
• Confirm the current-cycle DTP interview date and format; the general selection page's visible schedule is for an earlier cycle.

Before Accepting an Offer

• Obtain written confirmation of the 2027–28 stipend, tuition-fee coverage, research/training support, duration and any international-fee conditions.
• Confirm the joint-degree registration requirements, site schedule, placement terms and travel support.
• Build a full-year Bristol budget that includes summer rent, bills, deposit, visa and healthcare charges where applicable.
• Agree with the supervisory team how regular supervision, access to facilities and project decision-making will work across institutions.

Evidence and Sources

Project, Programme and Application

• South West Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership 2026: funded studentships
• Project 3531: Discovery and Engineering of Fungal Maleidrides for Metabolite Innovation
• SWBio funding
• SWBio eligibility
• SWBio application guidance
• SWBio selection process
• SWBio programme
• UKRI guidance for training grant holders

Institutions, Research Environment and Supervisors

• UWE Bristol budgeting guidance
• UWE Bristol private accommodation guidance
• UWE Bristol science facilities
• University of Bristol Biological Sciences research degrees
• UWE Bristol REF 2021 results
• University of Bristol REF 2021 results
• Katherine Williams, UWE Bristol
• Katherine Williams, University of Bristol
• Andy Bailey, University of Bristol
• Matthew Crump, University of Bristol
• Claudio Greco, Swansea University
• Natural Products and Synthetic Microbiology group, Swansea University
• Tim Craig, UWE Bristol
• About UWE Bristol

Publications and Field Context

• 2025 maleidride study, RSC Advances
• 2023 maleidride biosynthesis review, Natural Product Reports
• 2022 computational analysis of maleidride gene clusters, Fungal Biology and Biotechnology
• 2023 fungal natural-products study, Chemical Science
• Skills England and Office for Life Sciences: Sector Skills Needs Assessment—Life Sciences
• Life Sciences Jobs Plan