PhD Studentship: Engineering Bacteria for the Recovery of Technology-important Metals

Primary supervisor - Prof Nick Le Brun

Secondary supervisor - Prof Julea Butt

The worldwide demand for metals for technologies such as clean energy is growing. To meet this, it is clear that environmental processing and recovery of minerals and metals will play a critical role, not only in sustainable resource management but also in waste reduction, pollution prevention, and the transition towards a more circular and environmentally conscious economy. This project aims to employ engineering biology principles to design, build, test, and refine novel approaches to valuable metal recovery using bacteria. Shewanella are unusual bacteria in that they have the capacity to direct electron flow out of the cell, via outer-membrane anchored cytochromes (OMCs), as a form of respiration. We are engineering these cells to direct electrons towards the precipitation (or solubilisation) of metals for subsequent recovery. Here, in an approach that is complementary to existing projects, the successful applicant will engineer OMCs to include one or more lanthanide-binding peptides for localisation on the outside of the bacterial membrane, with the aim of trapping rare earth metals at the membrane, so as to avoid the need for internalisation where access and toxicity may be problematic. The student will receive state-of-the-art training in microbiology, protein biochemistry and bioanalytical techniques. As a member of the UEA team that is part of BBSRC ELEMENTAL Engineering Biology Mission Hub, the student will benefit from the additional networking and cohort activities that the Hub offers. Applicants should have, or expect to obtain, at least a 2.1 in Biochemistry, Chemistry or a closely related subject.

Informal enquiries to Prof Nick Le Brun (n.le-brun@uea.ac.uk) or Prof Julea Butt (j.butt@uea.ac.uk).

Entry requirements

The standard minimum entry requirement is 2:1 in Biochemistry, Chemistry or a closely related subject.

Mode of study: Full-time

Start date: 1 October 2025

Funding Details

Additional Funding Information

This PhD project is for a Faculty of Science funded studentship. Funding is available to UK applicants and comprises ‘home’ tuition fees and an annual stipend of £19,237 (for a maximum 3 years).  

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