Research opportunities

We recruit around 20 new PhD students each year. There are also many opportunities for post-doctoral or technical research on new projects run by the three research groups (advertised both externally and internally):

• Food and Bioprocessing Sciences
• Food Microbial Sciences
• Human Nutrition

As a postgraduate student, you would have the opportunity to conduct original, supervised research within one of these areas, leading to the writing of a thesis for your degree.

Scientific quality, published output, income generation, relevance of the research and technology transfer are the main motivations for all three departmental research groups and the University-wide Food Chain and Health research theme. All groups organise specialised training, for example introducing new techniques for visiting researchers.

Research Interests

Food and Bioprocessing Sciences

Where the interest lies in the development of processes for the production of biological products either by traditional routes, i.e. fermentation, or by means such as transgenic plants or animals. Of particular interest are aspects of processing in fermenters and enzyme reactors, separation techniques, and the design of integrated processes. Our interests in food process engineering aims to develop the processing technology underlying novel foods by linking product characteristics with process variables through experimental investigations and mathematical modelling.

Food Microbial Sciences

Where interests pertain to food poisoning bacteria, food fermentations and dairy microbiology, and human intestinal, bacteriology, particularly in relation to modifying gut flora to improve health. Use of molecular biological approaches is central to many of these studies, e.g. pathogenic mechanisms, resistance virulence, characterisation and modification of gut flora composition.

Human Nutrition

Where the aims relate to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying specific diet-disease relationships and identifying effective routes within the food chain for altering population dietary intakes. 

Joint research projects

The department is active within the wider research community and scientific synergy with other UK and international food related research establishments is evident. We have joint research projects with other institutions in the following areas:

• plant bioactives,
• colon cancer,
• antioxidants,
• mineral bioavailability,
• lactic acid bacteria,
• genetics of foodborne pathogens,
• development of bioactive food ingredients from renewable resources,
• satiety and eating behaviour,
• molecular basis of antioxidant action,
• probiotics in farm animals,
• molecular basis of energy flux,
• cereal processing,
• metabonomics.