PhD fellowship in Plant-Microbe-Insect Interactions

We are seeking a candidate to fill a fully funded PhD position for a period of 3 years in the Insect-Microbe Interactions research group led by Nicolai V. Meyling at the The Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Start date is 1 September 2025 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The project

The PhD project will form part of a collaborative research project entitled ‘Mechanisms and consequences of microbial induced resistance on trophic interactions and biocontrol efficacy’ funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

Beneficial microorganisms can colonize the rhizosphere of plants and modulate plant defense mechanisms against insect pests. The project aims to quantify the short and longer-term effects of microbial induced resistance (MIR) on aphid populations feeding for multiple generations on sweet pepper plants inoculated with root-colonizing fungi. Aphid endosymbionts may have a context-dependent cost to their host, which may render them more responsive to MIR and affect resistance towards natural enemies, e.g., parasitoid wasps. A relevant broader conceptual framework is outlined by Martínez-Medina et al. (2024) TiPS: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2024.05.010. The PhD project will investigate the interactive effect of MIR and aphid endosymbiont community on survival after parasitoid exposure. Further, the emission of volatile organic compounds of plants with/without MIR will be aligned with choice assays of an aphid parasitoid wasp to evaluate how MIR affects plant-insect communication at higher trophic levels. The project will bridge plant-microbe-insect interactions with chemical ecology in a trophic network approach, thereby contributing to our understanding of the full potential of beneficial microbes in plant production.

The PhD fellow will supervised by Nicolai V. Meyling in partnership with Dr Paul Becher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Plant Protection Biology, Alnarp, Sweden. The PhD fellow will during the appointment work together with a postdoc to be hired at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, where parts of the project will be carried out. The Alnarp campus is located with 1.5 h travel from Copenhagen by public transport. The PhD fellow will spend approx. 6 months at Alnarp campus during the 3-year period.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a committed and enthusiastic graduate student to perform experimental work with plants, fungi and insects (aphids and parasitoids) and their interactions. In addition, the activities will include DNA/RNA extractions for genotyping e.g. organismal detection (fungi, endosymbionts) and gene expression studies. The project will quantify volatile organic compounds emitted from fungal inoculated plants and assess aphid microbial communities. The successful PhD student will thus obtain competences within ecological interactions, molecular techniques,  and analytical methods of chemical ecology and experimental manipulations of plants, insect, and fungi. We are looking for candidates with experience in any or several of the following areas: entomology, plant science, microbiology, chemical ecology, community ecology, DNA/RNA based molecular techniques. Most importantly, the successful candidate is curious and enthusiastic, must have a good grasp of handling experimental systems with several different organisms and an interest in learning new techniques.

Our group and research - and what do we offer?

The Insect-Microbe Interactions research group is a part of the Section for Organismal Biology, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. We are located in Copenhagen. In the research group, we study a multitude of microorganisms interacting with insects, ranging from pathogenic to beneficial interactions. We study fundamental and applied aspects of these interactions to contribute to the sustainable development of plant protection, pollination services and insect production. Within plant-microbe-insect interactions, we study the ecological effects of fungi colonizing the rhizosphere and plant tissues as endophytes in different crop plants. Specifically, we wish to understand how and if the responses of the fungal inoculated plants can enhance the plant’s own defence against herbivores and assess how the fungi are compatible with other biological agents in a multi-trophic context. More information is available here: https://plen.ku.dk/english/research/organismal_biology/ipbc/

We offer a creative and stimulating working environment in a dynamic and international research group. Our research facilities include modern laboratories and various insect, plant, and microbiology rearing facilities, climate chambers as well as computational resources.

Principal supervisor is Asscosicate Professor Nicolai V. Meyling, Section for Organismal Biology, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, e-mail: [email protected], direct phone: +45 3533 2666.

The PhD programme

A three year full-time study within the framework of the regular PhD programme (5+3 scheme), if you already have an education equivalent to a relevant Danish master’s degree.

Getting into a position on the regular PhD programme

Qualifications needed for the regular programme
To be eligible for the regular PhD programme, you must have completed a degree programme, equivalent to a Danish master’s degree (180 ECTS/3 FTE BSc + 120 ECTS/2 FTE MSc) related to the subject area of the project, e.g. Biology, Biotechnology, Agronomy/Horticulture. For information of eligibility of completed programmes, see General assessments for specific countries and Assessment database.

Terms of employment in the regular programme
Employment as PhD fellow is full time and for maximum 3 years.

Employment is conditional upon your successful enrolment as a PhD student at the PhD School at the Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen. This requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant.

Terms of appointment and payment accord to the agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. The position is covered by the Protocol on Job Structure.

Responsibilities and tasks in the PhD programme

• Carry through an independent research project under supervision

• Complete PhD courses corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS / ½ FTE
• Participate actively in international research environments, including staying for a period at another research institution abroad
• Teaching and knowledge dissemination activities
• Write scientific papers aimed at high-impact journals
• Write and defend a PhD thesis on the basis of your project

We are looking for the following qualifications:

• Educational and professional qualifications relevant to the PhD project
• Interest in contributing to an international research environment and interdisciplinary research
• Curious mind-set and an interest in experimental biological systems
• Relevant work experience, if any
• A proven record of excellent English speaking, reading and writing skills

Application and Assessment Procedure

 Your application including all attachments must be in English and submitted electronically by clicking APPLY NOW below.

Please include: 

1. Motivated letter of application stating your research interests and reasons for applying to this specific position (max. two pages)
2. Curriculum vitae including information about your education, experience, publications (if any), language skills and other skills relevant for the position
3. Original diplomas for Bachelor of Science or Master of Science and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in another language than English or Danish. If the Master of Science programme is not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records and/or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted.
4. Full contact details (name, address, e-mail, telephone numbers as well as contact information of up to two professional references).

Application deadline:

The deadline for applications is 30 April 2025, 23:59 GMT +2.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After deadline, a number of applicants will be selected for academic assessment by an unbiased expert assessor. You are notified, whether you will be passed for assessment.

The assessor will assess the qualifications and experience of the shortlisted applicants with respect to the above mentioned research area, techniques, skills and other requirements. The assessor will conclude whether each applicant is qualified. The assessed applicants will have the opportunity to comment on their assessment. You can read about the recruitment process at http://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/.

Interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in end of May (21-28 May 2025)

Questions
For specific information about the PhD fellowship, please contact the principal supervisor.

General information about PhD study at the Faculty of SCIENCE is available at the PhD School’s website: https://www.science.ku.dk/phd/.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the surrounding community and invites all regardless of personal background to apply for the position.