Research projects and PhDs

Systems Biology research at the University of Exeter is based on a broad and inclusive view, and encompasses diverse approaches and model systems to answer key biological questions. These include all levels of biological organisation from molecular networks to organisms to ecosystems.

The table below details our current funded research projects and PhD projects.

Current funded research projects	Current PhD projects
Title Elucidating signalling networks in plant stress responses (SABR) Principal Investigator Professor Murray Grant Funding body BBSRC Find out more	Title Systemic plant immunity: identification of long distance signalling components & responses involved in plant defence Candidate Siddharth Jayaraman First supervisor Professor Murray Grant Second supervisor Professor Trevor Bailey
Title Investigating the biology of appressorium-mediated plant infection by the rice blast fungus magnaorthe grisea Principal Investigator Professor Nick Talbot Funding body BBSRC Find out more	Title Systems analysis of calmodium signalling in circadian clock function & photoperiodism in Arabidopsis thaliana Candidate Elanor Witterick First supervisor Dr John Love Second supervisor Dr Ozgur Akman
Title The control of ascorbate biosynthesis: the role of light & GDP-P-galactose phosphorylase Principal Investigator Professor Nick Smirnoff Funding body BBSRC Find out more	Title The plant apoplastic frontier Candidate Choon Kiat Lim First supervisor Professor Nick Smirnoff Second supervisor Professor Murray Grant
Title Transgenerational effects and evolution Principal Investigator Professor Stuart Townley Funding body EPSRC Find out more	Title Modelling bi-directional long-distance organelle transport in Ustilago maydis Candidate Congping Lin First supervisor Professor Peter Ashwin Second supervisor Professor Gero Steinberg
Title Synthetic integrons for continuous directed evolution of complex genetic ensembles Principal Investigator Professor Declan Bates Funding body EPSRC Find out more	Title Whole genome sequencing & comparative genomics of clinically relevant Clostridium difficile isotopes Candidate Emma Butt First supervisor Dr Steve Michell Second supervisor Dr Ed Keedwell
Title Post-transcriptional feedback control of polyamine metabolism in yeast: an integrated modelling and experimental investigation Principal Investigator Professor Declan Bates Funding body BBSRC Find out more	Title Endocrine disruption & human health: a genome wide study of mechanisms & pathways Candidate Ricardo Copelli First supervisor Professor Tamara Galloway Second supervisor Dr Ed Keedwell
Title Preventing ventilator associated lung injury using feedback control engineering Principal Investigator Professor Declan Bates Funding body EPSRC Find out more	Title Bioinformatics of next generation sequencing approaches: using 454 & solexa data to look at insect genomes & transcriptomes Candidate Ritika Chauhan Biosciences supervisor Professor Richard Ffrench-Constant CEMPS supervisor Dr Jamie Stevens / Dr David Studholme
Title Analysis of biochemical networks using robust control theory Principal Investigator Professor Declan Bates Funding body BBSRC Find out more	Title Response dynamics and evolution in signalling networks regulating bacterial chemotaxis Candidate Munia Amin First supervisor Dr Orkun Soyer Second supervisor Dr Steve Porter
Title Engineering a semi-biotic immune system Principal Investigator Dr Orkun Soyer Funding body EPSRC Find out more	Title Boom or bust? Transient dynamics in stage structured biological systems Candidate Ian Stott First supervisor Dr Dave Hodgson Second supervisor Professor Stuart Townley
Title CARDIS: Chemical exposure and risk of cardiovascular disease in adults Principal Investigator Professor Tamara Galloway Funding body British Heart Foundation Find out more	Title Understanding control of receptor tyrosine kinase signalling in endothelial cells using systems and synthetic biology Candidate Deborah Alawo First supervisor Professor Declan Bates Seccond supervisor Professor Nick Brindle (University of Leicester)
Title Combinatorial responses of fungal pathogens to their human hosts: an integrative systems biology approach Principal Investigator Professor Ken Haynes Funding body BBSRC Find out more	Title Robustness analysis of physiological simulators Candidate Anup Das First supervisor Professor Declan Bates Second supervisor Dr Jonathan Hardman (University of Nottingham)
	Title Characterisation of Interaction Partners of Secreted Nosema ceranae Proteins. Candidate Marta Lalik First supervisor Professor Ken Haynes Second supervisor Dr Orkun Soyer / Dr Bryony Williams
	Title Modelling Redox Regulation in Saccharomyces and Candida glabrata Candidate Suhaib Mohammed First supervisor Professor Ken Haynes Second supervisor Professor Declan Bates / Professor Douglas Murray (Keio University, Japan)