Eligibility: UK/International (including EU) graduates with the required entry requirements

Duration: Full-Time – between three and three and a half years fixed term

Application deadline: 25 October 2024

Interview date: Will be confirmed to shortlisted candidates

Start date: January 2025

For further details contact: AmirHosein Sadeghi Manesh

Introduction

This exciting interdisciplinary project offers the successful PhD student the opportunity to develop mathematical theory, implement software packages, and conduct lab experiments on E. coli bacteria, within the same research project. Coventry University invites applications from suitably qualified graduates for this fully funded PhD studentship based in the Centre for Computational Sciences and Mathematical Modeling, with regular visits to the Centre for Health and Life Sciences for lab activities.

Project details

To study the spread of a disease or to stop an animal species from danger of extinction, one needs to develop and use population models. For example, the Allee effect, a population model where in addition to competition for resources species exhibit cooperative behaviour for survival, has been observed in honey bees, starfishes and bacteria to name a few examples. A single population with the Allee effect is well-studied in the literature.

However, connected populations with the Allee effect that have the possibility of migration is a current topic of research. There are some initial theoretical steps already taken where it has been shown that connected populations with the Allee effect can exhibit complex behaviour. Engineered E-coli bacteria can be used to study population models with more degrees of freedom for the experimentalist in comparison to doing the experiments on animals or plants. However, to guarantee that we do not miss any possible behaviour and outcomes of the model, the design of the experiment and the choice of parameter values need guidance from advanced computational techniques.

The student will start by reproducing an engineered E-coli bacteria exhibiting the Allee effect. Then the student will use computer algebra to predict all possible behaviour of the model. At this stage they should answer the following questions:

• Can the use of algebraic methods help inform a validation study of empirical results in the literature?
• Can this lead to the identification of issues in experimental design; or errors in computer algebra algorithms?
• Can this approach be used to inform empirical studies not yet undertaken, with suitable parameter values to maximise the diversity of the observed behaviour?

By uncovering more examples that exhibit complex behaviour using the guidance of the developed algebraic toolkit and observing them in the lab environment, the student validates the applicability of the tool in a general case and thus not only specific to the initial case study.

Funding

Tuition fees and bursary

Benefits

The successful candidate will receive comprehensive research training including technical, personal and professional skills. All researchers at Coventry University (from PhD to Professor) are part of the Doctoral College and Centre for Research Capability and Development, which provides support with high-quality training and career development activities.

Entry requirements

• A minimum of a 2:1 first degree in a relevant discipline/subject area with a minimum 60% mark in the project element or equivalent with a minimum 60% overall module average.

PLUS

• The potential to engage in innovative research and to complete the PhD within 3.5 years.
• A minimum of English language proficiency (IELTS academic overall minimum score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component).

Additional Requirements

As seen from the project description, this is an interdisciplinary research project. Students need a strong background in mathematics and programming, as well as a high interest in biology lab experiments and activities. Interested candidates are strongly advised to contact Dr. AmirHosein Sadeghimanesh as early as possible to have an initial conversation and gain more insight into the nature of the project.

Candidates are also recommended to review Dr Sadeghimanesh's publications and videos of his academic talks to familiarize themselves with the types of mathematics and modeling techniques that will be used in this work.

• The student must be familiar with basic algebra, polynomials, differential equations, linear algebra, numerical analysis, and algorithms. Familiarity with computational algebraic geometry is a significant advantage.
• The student must be proficient in at least one programming language and have experience with mathematical software, such as Maple, Mathematica, Matlab, SageMath, etc.
• A strong interest in lab activities is necessary. Experience in a biology lab, especially with microbiological knowledge and experiments involving bacteria such as E. coli, is a bonus.
• Ability to learn quickly and be open to new topics.
• Good academic writing skills.
• The student should be committed to working hard, managing time effectively, and completing tasks on time.
• Candidates must show a clear understanding of the project description and the nature of the program in their cover letters. The student will need to write the code for computations themselves, rather than using pre-existing Python packages.
• Shortlisted candidates will receive an assignment with a limited timeframe for submission. Those with the best performance will be invited for an interview.
• The use of text-generating AI at any stage of the application process will be considered a negative mark. Applicants must use their own writing skills and knowledge.
• Cover Letter Requirements: Applicants must explicitly discuss their educational background and any relevant experience related to this project. They should explain why they are interested in this PhD position and why they believe they are a suitable candidate.

How to apply

To find out more about the project, please contact Professor AmirHosein Sadeghi Manesh

All applications require full supporting documentation, a covering letter, plus a 2000-word supporting statement showing how the applicant’s expertise and interests are relevant to the project.