The microbial ecology of ancient alpine soils

OVERVIEW

Paleosols or “fossil soils” are soils that have not been disturbed by man’s activity for sometimes millions of years. They therefore harbour unique microbial populations that can be studied to learn more about a range of processes – from weathering to plant-microbe interactions. This project will focus on using metagenomic methods to characterise and understand paleosols collected from the French-Italian Alps.

We have already carefully sampled and sequenced at great depth (c1 billion paired end reads per sample) diverse microbial communities collected in various soil horizons from Alpine glacial deposits. These deposits span from the end of the Last Glacial Period, through the Younger Dryas and on to the so-called ‘little ice age’ – about 500 years ago. We are carefully establishing the relationship between the age of the deposits, their geological composition and the nature of the microbial communities that are present. Ultimately, we would like to observe how variation in the functional genes present in certain bacteria – for example bacteria utilising rare earth elements – can be linked both to the age of the deposits, the nutrients present, and even the influence of specific human activities. The project will allow the researcher to develop state of the art skills in bioinformatics and microbial ecology.

Research Information

PhD Supervisors
Information on the research interests and activities of academics in Biological Sciences can be accessed via the School website and the Find a Supervisor facility.

Career Prospects

Introduction
Queen’s postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as the DegreePlus/Future Ready Award, bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes alongside sterling integration with business experts helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally. Career prospects in the biological sciences are exceptionally good. To some extent it depends on the specific topic, of course, but laboratory-based and especially quantitative skills and the proven innovation of a PhD or MPhil are highly sought after. Degrees are very much in demand, both in commercial science and public sector research and development (e.g. drug discovery and development, crop and animal improvements and welfare, sustainable agriculture and resource use, human nutrition and health, animal health, ecological management, food safety and technology, scientific communications, regulation, and many more fields).

Employment after the Course
Graduates have gone on to be professional research scientists, consultants, or hold technical and junior executive positions in commerce and government.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

Graduate
The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research degree programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree in a relevant subject from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Further information can be obtained by contacting the School.

International Students

For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required (*taken within the last 2 years).

International students wishing to apply to Queen’s University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.

For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.

If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen’s University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.

Find a supervisor

If you’re interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.

To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles linked here.

You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.