PhD Studentship: Variable and Noisy Gene Expression in the Arabidopsis Shoot Meristem

The Sainsbury Laboratory is internationally recognised for its cutting-edge fundamental research in plant developmental biology and computational modelling.

We are offering a fully funded PhD studentship starting in October 2026 within a dynamic and collaborative research group. We invite applications from highly motivated and enthusiastic individuals, capable of independent thinking and working.

Supervisors

• Professor James Locke (University of Cambridge)
• Professor Elliot Meyerowitz (Caltech, USA)

Professor Meyerowitz provides access to world-leading expertise in meristem biology and quantitative imaging, and opportunities to interact closely with an international partner lab.

The project sits at the interface of plant developmental genetics, quantitative imaging, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and mathematical modelling, and is well suited to a student keen to develop as an interdisciplinary scientist.

Project overview

The shoot apical meristem (SAM) is the tiny stem cell niche at the tip of each plant shoot that generates all above-ground organs, stems, leaves and flowers. Its proper function underpins many traits central to crop productivity. Yet even within this tightly organised tissue, gene expression is surprisingly variable from cell to cell. This noise in key developmental regulators may be critical for balancing robustness and flexibility in plant development, but we still do not understand where this variability comes from or how it is controlled.

This project will use state-of-the-art single-cell and spatial transcriptomic approaches to dissect the origins and consequences of gene expression variability in the Arabidopsis SAM. Building on recent single-nucleus RNA-seq work revealing transcriptional heterogeneity in this tissue, you will ask how much of this variability is driven by:

• Cell cycle stage
• Hormonal signalling (e.g. auxin, cytokinin)
• Positional identity within the SAM, captured using spatial transcriptomics and high-resolution imaging

By disentangling these contributions, the project aims to uncover how internal dynamics and spatial cues interact to generate transcriptional noise - and how this noise may be buffered or exploited to maintain robust stem cell function.

Funding

We offer a fully funded studentship, covering fees for Home students and a tax-free stipend at the UKRI rate plus a SLCU 10% uplift for up to four years. This funding is guaranteed even if no external funding is secured but applicants are encouraged to seek additional funding from other sources, and we will provide support in doing so. A range of funding opportunities is available to support postgraduate studies at Cambridge. For details, please visit Funding opportunities and The Postgraduate Funding Search, which list most University scholarships and studentships available.

International students are welcome to apply but will need to secure extra financing to cover the remainder of the overseas fees and any immigration-related costs.

How to apply

Before applying applicants should express their interest and send their CV to Professor Locke at James.Locke@slcu.cam.ac.uk

Final applications are made online through the University's Applicant Portal for a PhD in Plant Sciences (course code: BLPS22) and should only be submitted once Professor Locke has endorsed the candidate.

With your application you will be required to submit (i) a personal statement outlining your suitability, why you are interested in pursuing a PhD in this area, your background and research interests, and familiarity with the questions raised by this research. (ii) your CV (iii) copies of your academic transcripts (iv) details of two academic referees.

All scientific enquiries should be directed to James.Locke@slcu.cam.ac.uk.

All non-scientific enquiries should be directed to enquiries@slcu.cam.ac.uk.

Please quote reference PT48287 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all students are eligible to live and study in the UK.

Key information

Department/location

Sainsbury Laboratory

Salary

Reference

PT48287

Category

Studentships

Date published

16 December 2025

Closing date

15 February 2026