Joining the Group

PhD position available

Understanding interactions between minerals and small biopolymers under extreme conditions

The project combines computational screening and wet-lab experiments to develop a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between silicate minerals and small biologically-relevant molecules, such as amino acids, peptides, peptoids and proteins. Our goal is to study the stability of these organic molecules and their mineral-enabled adaptability to environmental conditions. We will focus on sampling the effects of salinity, ion compositions and pH at the extremes of environmental conditions. The primary interest of this work is in the preservation of biosignatures on Mars, while the insights gained in the project have tremendous significance for a wide range of scientific problems, both fundamental (such as origin of life on the early Earth) and the applied (e.g., hazardous waste storage and environmental cleanup). The project is data-driven, where the statistics obtained from molecular simulations will be used to guide the experimental studies. Such a strategy allows us to establish a protocol where computational screening is used to sample mineral-bioorganic systems, informing and directing laboratory tests. 

The project is supervised by Drs Valentina Erastova (School of Chemistry) and Sean McMahon (School of Physics & Astronomy), and is also hosted in the UK Center for Astrobiology.

The studentship is fully funded for 48 months by the University of Edinburgh and covers tuition fees and an annual stipend (starting at £17,668 per annum) for a candidate satisfying EPSRC residency criteria.

Enquiries and the initial application should be directed to:

Dr Valentina Erastova, valentina.erastova[at]ed.ac.uk

The position will remain open until filled.

If other positions become available we aim to advertise as widely as possible – here, via the University, FindAPhD and on social media. Follow us on Twitter for updates!

If you are still interested in joining us (which makes us very flattered) we have put together a list of scholarships for different career stages and nationalities. We’ve tried to make it as complete as possible, while keeping it relevant. If you know of other funding opportunities which are not mentioned here, please let us know as a comment at the bottom of the page. In science, one can never underestimate the importance of that one funding opportunity coming at the right time. And so, we hope this list is useful for you and other young scientists towards the research you have dreamt about. 

Postgraduate Scholarships

If you are interested in applying for a PhD scholarship, please email Valentina describing your research interests and attaching your CV. 

For outstanding students of any nationality, the School of Chemistry offers a highly competitive Prize Scholarship.

Furthermore, to attract high-quality overseas students, the University offers Edinburgh Global Research Scholarship and Principal’s Career Development PhD Scholarships.

A highly competitive Carnegie Trust Scholarship to retain students (of any nationality) that are on track for the First Class Honours degree from a Scottish university.

Scholarships for International Students available for citizens/residents of a specific country:

Please also use the University of Edinburgh Scholarship Search

and this article at www.savethestudent.org

PostDoctoral Opportunities

If you are interested in applying for a postdoctoral fellowship to work in the group, please contact Valentina with a brief description of your research interests and your CV.

Postdoctoral Fellowships

Applicant country-specific International Fellowships to carry out postdoctoral work in the UK:

Internships

We are happy to host a small number of undergraduate internships over summer. If you are interested, please get in touch!

There is a very small number of funding sources for the vacation internships:

  • Internal to the School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh – Chemistry Undergraduate Vacation Internships, sponsored by Afton Chemicals. For chemistry students in their 3rd year, deadline early 2nd semester
  • Internal to the University of Edinburgh College Vacation Scholarship (MyEd login), deadline typically 1st of March
  • EPSRC Undergraduate Vacation Internships (more info via MyEd login), deadline normally mid- March
  • Royal Society of Chemistry undergraduate bursary, deadline normally end of February
  • Carnegie Trust vacation scholarships for students at Scottish Universities, note an early deadline for this scheme typically in January 
  • E4 DTP Research Experience Placements by NERC, for students to work in groups at a different department from their undergraduate degree, deadline normally in April

Travel bursaries – Edinburgh’s resources for the travel funding

Further internal resources for the University of Edinburgh (via MyEd login)

Please also use the University of Edinburgh Scholarship Search


Is there something we have missed that could be useful to others?
Please let us know in a comment bellow!

Thank you for helping to improve and for sharing this our list of scholarships for different career stages and nationalities with your colleagues!

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