Primary Supervisor – Professor Diane Saunders

Scientific background

Bhutan is known for its unusually high species richness and endemism rate. Although only about 8% of Bhutan’s land is arable, wheat is a staple crop of great importance. It is one of the few crops grown at high altitudes and holds great cultural, religious and nutritional value. However, wheat production remains vulnerable to biological, social and economic challenges. Bhutan is also an important source of new pathogen diversity for major wheat diseases, which can spread rapidly to other regions.

The most serious biological threat is “agricultural polio”, wheat rust. Fungal pathogens follow a heterotrophic life cycle, reproducing asexually on wheat and sexually on barberry. Bhutan is a global magnet for its Berber diversity, which also holds great cultural and medicinal value in the country. Understanding the relationship between wheat rust and barberry is critical for developing wheat disease control strategies that also protect local biodiversity and ecosystem stability.

Research methodology

The main goal of this project is to resolve the conflicting interests of preserving biodiversity while protecting wheat from one of the greatest biological threats to production, namely wheat rust. The individual will: (1) visit Bhutan to characterize the spatial distribution and composition of barberry species in major wheat-growing regions, (2) evaluate the genetic diversity of locally adapted Bhutanese wheat lines and their high ability to resist rust infection, and (3) develop a spatial model to solve wheat cropping strategies that can be used to protect biodiversity and suppress rust outbreaks.

an exercise

You will be integrated into the international and interdisciplinary Saunders Laboratory at the John Innes Centre, providing opportunities to develop broad skills in a wide range of fields, including field surveys, plant pathology, molecular biology and computational biology. In addition, you will receive training in landscape modeling by research leaders at the University of Exeter and work with partners at CIMMYT and the Bhutan National Plant Protection Centre.

Person specifications

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who is passionate about applying multidisciplinary techniques to meet the critical need to develop multi-functional landscapes that support food production and conservation.

Entry requirements

At least a UK BA (Hons) equivalency of 2:1. English language requirements (Faculty of Science equivalent: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category).

Acceptable first degree: Biology, Ecology (or related)

Study method

Full time

Start date

October 1, 2026

Financing information

ARIES Scholarships are governed by UKRITerms and Conditions. Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded scholarship, which covers fees, a maintenance stipend (£20,780 per annum for 2025/26) and a Research Training and Support Grant (RTSG). A limited number of scholarships are available to international applicants, with the difference between ‘national’ and ‘international’ fees waived by the registered university. However, please note that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with moving to and living in the UK, such as visa costs or additional health fees.