Microbial governed Biocomputing for Robots with Autonomy and Intelligence (MicroBRAIN)

Prof Yannis Ieropoulos

Sunday, May 31, 2026

Competition Funded PhD Project (UK Students Only)

About the Project

Supervisory Team: Professor Yannis Ieropoulos

The project is about a novel sensing-computing platform that (a) employs living cells, and (b) is energetically autonomous. The main target outcome is the creation of a radically new kind of information processing technology that is not simply inspired by biochemical processes in living systems, but actually uses living microbial cells, growing as biofilms on electrodes inside novel bioelectrochemical systems.

Within the sphere of the Internet of Things (IoT) or, better still Internet of living things (IoLT), our mission and aim(s) are to build small robots (called EcoBots) as demonstration models of feasibility and wide uses of Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) as the main energy supply to power mechatronic devices.

The potential benefits of small-scale MFCs include higher power densities and higher output levels of electrical energy that can be delivered when stacks are constructed using 100’s or 1000’s of mass-produced small-scale units, put together in the form of cascades, stacks, nodes, arrays and sensors. There is knowledge of how MFCs can operate as physicochemical sensors, and how robots can be truly autonomous and perform biological behaviours (like taste food). The EcoBot family of robots (developed over the last 23 years) is an example of bio-hybrids utilising too-wet-to-burn aqueous feedstock, urine or food wastes as fuel and operating autonomously with a circadian rhythm.

The IoT, IoLT and new EcoBots encompass electronics, communication, computer science, bio-engineering, microbiology, robotics and (via MFC) biological interface and biohybrid systems. MFCs will introduce a microbiome into all ‘objects’, rendering them biohybrid and autonomous for turning all the organic inputs into new biomass, CO2 (via respiration and oxidation), water and recycled biomass, converting elements transformed from food into products of metabolism and electrical energy.

Training programmes are available for all of our PhD students and specific bioelectrochemistry and electrochemistry training will be provided for this particular PhD programme.

Entry requirements

You must have a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in any of the subject areas that relate to Microbial Fuel Cells.

Fees and funding

We offer a range of funding opportunities for both UK and international students. Horizon Europe fee waivers automatically cover the difference between overseas and UK fees for qualifying students.

Competition-based Presidential Bursaries from the University cover the difference between overseas and UK fees for top-ranked applicants.

Competition-based studentships offered by our schools typically cover UK-level tuition fees and a stipend for living costs for top-ranked applicants.

Funding will be awarded on a rolling basis, so apply early for the best opportunity to be considered.

For more information, please visit our postgraduate research funding pages.

How to apply

Apply now

You need to:

• choose programme type (Research), 2026/27, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
• select Full time or Part time
• search for programme PhD Engineering & the Environment (7175)
• add name of the supervisor in section 2 of the application

Applications should include:

• your CV (resumé)
• 2 academic references
• degree transcripts and certificates to date
• English language qualification (if applicable)

Contact us

Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences

If you have a general question, feps-pgr-apply@soton.ac.uk.

Project leader

For an initial conversation, i.ieropoulos@soton.ac.uk