This 4-year project is funded by the BBSRC industrial CASE scheme. The successful student will be based in the schools of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry at the University of Birmingham, and have a placement at Microbial Solutions Ltd at Oxford University Begbroke Science Park.

Microbial Solutions Limited has developed an innovative wastewater treatment, known as Microcycle™, which uses a patent protected collection of non-pathogenic bacteria to remove the toxic components from metal working fluids (oily lubricants used to ensure clean cutting processes in industry) and produce grey water that is safe to dispose of in the sewage system. The Microcycle™ technology uses a simple bioreactor containing a high surface area support matrix upon which a bacterial biofilm establishes itself. The bacteria thrive in this environment with each bacterial species utilising and thus detoxifying different components of the metal working fluids, converting the wastes to biomass, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The resulting grey water is disposed of to sewer.

This project aims to better understand and optimise the Microcycle^TM technology. First, the Microcycle^TM biofilms will be modelled in the laboratory and characterised in terms of structure, physiology and metabolic activity using a variety of biological and physical techniques including laser scanning confocal microscopy, Raman confocal microscopy, electron microscopy, XPS, molecular biology tools and activity assays.

Next, the effect of metal ion concentration on biofilm structure, physiology and function will be determined. Novel metal chelators will be developed that will enable control of metal ion concentration; chelators will be tested first in a soluble format, then incorporated into polymeric nanoparticles. Iron chelators will be characterised by NMR, MS, IR and UV spectroscopy. Polymeric chelators will be further characterised using SEC. Iron scavenging will be evaluated by competitive iron sequestration against calcein.

Tools and techniques developed during the project in Birmingham will be applied to the Microcycle^TMbioreactors at Microbial Solutions’ facilities in Oxfordshire in a 3-month placement. Whilst at MSL, the student will become fully integrated into the company and interact with all members of staff, appreciating the roles which encompass a small R&D spin-out business. Throughout the course of the project, the student will have access to the scientific knowledge base of the company and have a first hand understanding of the working Microcycle^TM biofilms and their application on customer sites. The student will receive the appropriate practical scientific, computing and technical training involved in this area and through experimental investigation contribute to a better understanding of the controlling factors involved in biofilm growth and efficacy and hence the optimisation of this novel technology.

The project offers an exciting mixture of applied microbiology, biotechnology and chemistry, along with industrial involvement and application of research in an industrial setting.

Excellent students are invited to apply, with a first-class (or equivalent) Undergraduate Honours degree in an appropriate discipline, for example biosciences, biotechnology, chemistry or chemical engineering. As this is a multidisciplinary project, willingness to learn new skills and cross disciplinary boundaries is essential. Applicants whose first language is not English must have an English language qualification. Informal enquiries are welcomed to Dr Tim Overton and Dr Francisco Fernandez-Trillo; please send a statement of interest and your CV via email: t.w.overton@bham.ac.uk / f.fernandez-trillo<στο>bham.ac.uk

This project is offered as a BBSRC-funded industrial CASE PhD studentship. Funding is available according to BBSRC funding rules:http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/web/FILES/Guidelines/studentship_eligibility.pdf