"Funded Studentship 2025-26 - EPSRC IDLA: Design of the Next Generation of Environmentally Friendly Skin Care Formulations Supported by AI"

University of Leeds - Faculty of Environment - School of Food Science and Nutrition

Funding

are offering one PhD scholarship in the School of Food Science and Nutrition for one Home fee rated candidate, covering a maintenance stipend for four years (£20,780 for session 2025/26, to rise annually) and UK tuition fees. There will also be an additional annual tax-free top-up of £4,000 per year for 4 years. Additional support to cover training, conference, travel costs is also available.

This opportunity is open to Home fee rated applicants only and selection is based on academic merit. Please refer to the UKCISA website for information regarding Fee Status for Non-UK Nationals.

Lead Supervisor’s full name & email address

Prof Michael Rappolt, M.Rappolt@leeds.ac.uk

Co-supervisor name(s) & email address(s) (optional)

Dr. Arwen Tyler, A.I.I.Tyler@leeds.ac.uk
Prof Brent Murray, B.S.Murray@food.leeds.ac.uk

Project summary

This fully funded PhD place provides an exciting opportunity to pursue postgraduate research in a range of fields relating to Surfactant Science and the Physical Chemistry of Biomaterials. The goal of the research project is to investigate how lipid and surfactant self-assembly processes, plus the nanostructural characteristics of the formed micelles, affect mildness versus foaming, cleansing and other important performance attributes in skin-care products. This project will focus on the development of environmentally friendly formulations, based on easily biodegradable and sustainable novel materials developed by Croda (Industrial partner). For full details, please see the project page on the University of Leeds website.

Please state your entry requirements plus any necessary or desired background

Applicants to research degree programmes should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline.