Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: You will initially be trained by the main supervisor alongside her current PhD student. Further day-to-day experimental support will be provided by Dr Jones herself and by her postdoc, and you will have weekly meetings with Dr Jones' group. Dr Jones' lab is in a shared area with other plant scientists, so you will benefit from additional support from members of other labs. We will have weekly meetings with Dr Lechon and regular progress meetings with other members of the supervisory team in order for you to develop a professional network that will support you in all aspect of your project.

Supervision style: Directive support: B / Training structure: 6

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a week

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with:

• Weekly joint meeting with plant molecular biology labs (Prof Jim Murray, Dr Walter Dewitte, Dr Simon Scofield, Dr Tamara Lechon Gomez)
• Monthly joint Plants@Cardiff meeting with plant scientists across Cardiff University
• Monthly divisional meetings with researchers that belong to the Molecular Biosciences Division at the Cardiff School of Biosciences
• Opportunities to interact with researchers across the GW4 institutions through GW4 Plant Epigenetics Community – Additional guidance from experienced PhD supervisor and lead of the Genome Research Hub, Prof Nick Kent

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): Varies year to year as studentship progresses; Mixture of virtual/in person

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): At least within core hours (10-4), but experiments might require working out of hours. There is flexibility, but there is an expectation to attend meetings and seminars, which occur during working hours. While lab work requires onsite working, we support working from home arrangements when possible.

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: The second supervisor will offer expertise in omics techniques and big data analysis. The second supervisor is usually available on-site during core hours and is always happy to arrange a meeting in person or online. There will be regular meetings with the student and the primary supervisor once every fortnight during the duration of the project, with flexibility depending on student's needs. During the second rotation project, the student will join the weekly meetings of the second supervisor's lab.

Notice needed for feedback on work (based on a 5000 word report): 1-2 weeks

Communication: Available to e-mail every day and in person four days a week. You are welcome to drop in by my office, but I encourage my students to set up meetings beforehand if possible.

Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: You will be trained by me. Further day-to-day support will be provided by Dr Walter Dewitte in our building and by the Support staff of our Technical HUBs (Genomics HUB and Imaging HUB).

Supervision style: Directive support: A / Training structure: 10

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a week

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with: Murray & Dewitte Research Group with weekly lab meetings & Monthly Plants@Cardiff meetings, where all plant researchers come together to discuss their science and any other business in our School. 

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): At least once per week; All in person

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): It will be the student's responsibility to organize and manage – also dependent on private situation – their working pattern. Doing a PhD is not only about 'data production'; equally important is analysis and literature in the research area. I will – where needed – explain the candidate the importance of effort. I always explain that a career in science is different from a regular 9-5 / 5 days a week-job, but instead a very 'flexible' job – dependent on the experimentation. 

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: Whenever a research progress meeting is needed, usually once month at the start which may change (dependent on progress) into once every 2/3 months. I will ask the student to join lab meetings of both, PI and co-PI, every fortnight – because these are organized in parallel. 

Notice needed for feedback (based on a 5000 word report): < 1 week

Communication: I have an 'open-door' policy, meaning the candidate can always knock my door. I will be approachable over weekends and can be contacted during holidays.

Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: You will be trained by myself with support from post-docs and students in my group. The post-doc and students are the daily point of contact but my door is always open for questions.

Supervision style: Directive support: B / Training structure: 3

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a week

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with: The primary and secondary supervisor have joint lab meetings and all ELE lab students are now also members of Cardiff University's Medicines Discovery Institute so will have opportunities to attend project specific group meetings at the MDI and will be able to conduct aspects of their research at the institute.

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): At least once per week; All in person

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): Predominantly core hours with some minimal requirement for working outside of these based on equipment and tissue culture hood bookings and occasional zebrafish breeding (eggs must be collected within 1h after fertilisation which occurs when lights come on at 7am).

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: Shared weekly lab meetings and shared laboratory resources across School of Bioscience and MDI, 1:1 project team meetings at least monthly.

Notice needed for feedback (based on a 5000 word report): 1-2 weeks

Communication: Open-door policy for short meetings, longer ones need pre-arranging, am almost always available by e-mail unless on holiday. There is almost always a member of my staff around if I am not present in the lab. I do send e-mails outside of normal working hours, so that I don't forget to pass on important messages, but I do not expect answers to these until normal working hours. 

Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: You will be trained by me or by an experienced post-doc or PhD student in all experimental techniques. The lab team work together to provide experimental support. 

Supervision style: Directive support: B / Training structure: 4

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a week

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with: We share lab space with 4 other fly groups and the Cardiff fly groups have weekly shared lab meetings. You will be able to attend the SWFly meetings to interact with researchers from across the south west (3 meetings per year). 

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): Significantly varies depending on the student; All in person.

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): At least within core hours (10-4) and other time to be managed around this.

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: Second supervisor will be routinely available, and will lead the computational research. Meetings with both supervisors will be arranged as needed, particularly to allow integration of wet lab and dry lab approaches.

Notice needed for feedback (based on a 5000 word report): 1-2 weeks

Communication: Open-door policy during working hours, particularly for "quick" questions. Booking a meeting is better for longer or more complex discussions. If I haven't seen you for a while I'll probably stop by for a chat in the lab / write up area. I share my calendar with a lab member, so you can usually see when I am available. 

Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: The student will join Cable’s active lab: attend fortnightly hybrid lab meetings, participate in fortnightly lab clean ups and meet at least weekly individually or in a small group with Prof Cable. They will be supported by the lab manager, Dr Elis Arapi, and trained at-the-bench by Drs Numair Masud (biologist) and Peter Hansal (chemist), who are both working on plastic contamination in aquatic systems. Statistical support and day-day advice will be provided by other lab members, including the extensive alumini who frequently visit the lab, many of whom are still engaged in active collaborations (themselves based at relevant organisations e.g. Cefas, EA, NRW, APEM, UKHSA and academia).

Supervision style: Directive support: A / Training structure: 10

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a week

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with: Aside from the core research group of the two supervisors, the student will be part of the Water Research Institute (based in Cardiff). One of the associated Early Career Research led groups is a Plastic Research Network forum. They meet every 6 months to discuss key research conducted across university, industry and government partners. The student will be encouraged to present their work here at least once a year. 

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): At least once per week; All in person.

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): At least within core hours (10-4) and other time to be managed around this. Due to the nature of animal research, there may be some weekend and evening working. 

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: The second supervisor will meet the student at least once a month and will be able to provide feedback on all written work, particularly focusing on the applied and policy angle of the research. 

Notice needed for feedback (based on a 5000 word report): < 1 week

Communication: Available via email daily and easily accessible via Skype, Zoom and Microsoft Teams. For one current student who has caring responsibilities and works flexible hours, weekend communication is also available. I may contact students outside working hours but I do not expect responses outside their working hours. 

Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: The training will be provided by the PI and a senior member (PDRA or 3rd year PhD candidates). A blend of regular meetings and hands-on laboratory demonstrations will be used. These sessions will provide the student with comprehensive training in critical enzyme preparation and characterisation protocols, literature research and bookkeeping skills. As the research progresses, day-to-day experimental support will be facilitated through guidance with the PDRA and experienced PhD candidates. A combination of weekly group meetings, focused small-group discussions and one-on-one meetings will be scheduled. These meetings serve a dual purpose: addressing any potential challenges and nurturing novel ideas to propel project development. 

Supervision style: Directive support: A / Training structure: 3

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a week

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with: In Cardiff, the student will have the opportunity to engage in meaningful research discussions with a diverse range of academics, each possessing significant expertise in relevant areas of research. Notably, the Rhys group, who share laboratories with PI, also stand as an expert in enzyme design, offering complementary insights into protein engineering through computational technologies. Likewise, interactions with the Platts group can provide the student with valuable insights into computational techniques applicable to substrate docking for enzyme design. Additionally, the opportunity to engage with the Morrill group, a well-established collaborator of the PI known for their efforts in using chemical catalysis for enzyme design, will contribute to the student's grasp of this field. The Cardiff School of Chemistry also encompasses enzymology and high-throughput screening experts including the Richards, Pickett and Allemann groups.

During their time in Bath, the student will have the valuable chance to collaborate closely with the Sero group, where they can actively engage in cell culturing and microscopic assays, as outlined in Objective 3 of the project.

Additionally, the student will be able to connect with esteemed local experts in peptide chemistry and enzymology. This includes notable figures such as Carmen Domene, Ian Eggleston, and Scott Lovell, who are situated within the Departments of Chemistry and Life Sciences. 

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): At least once per week; Mixture of virtual/in person.

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): For safety reasons and due to the operation of high-risk machineries such as autoclaves and centrifuges, students are required to attend from 10 am to 4 pm, Monday-Friday. Typically, a successful thesis for full-time PhD candidates is achieved through 35-40 hours per week for experimental work and literature research. Occasionally, students might need to work during weekends or evenings, but they will always adhere to safety regulations. For instance, the standing centrifuge will only be operated when at least two individuals are present.

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: The student and second supervisor will meet monthly throughout the majority of the PhD program. However, during the enzyme refinement phase (Objective 2), close supervision by the secondary supervisor will be crucial. Ideally, we'd like the PhD candidate to relocate to Bath University for 6-8 months to learn the key high-throughput screening technologies developed by the co-I group. However, if relocation isn't feasible, the candidate can have weekly online meetings with the co-I to acquire essential troubleshooting skills and techniques. 

Notice needed for feedback (based on a 5000 word report): 3-4 weeks

Communication: I value open and timely communication. The project team can expect responses to emails daily. While my working hours are relatively flexible, I am always available for immediate concerns. For more in-depth discussions, spontaneous and scheduled meetings are equally important. I particularly welcome spontaneous drop-ins when my office door is open. Scheduling a meeting ensures that we can have a dedicated and uninterrupted conversation. For matters related to safety, urgent health concern or personal issues, I am readily available through text messaging. In such cases, I aim to arrange immediate meeting (online or in person) to help address the situation. 

Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: You will be initially trained by me and then with day-to-day advice from other PhD students in the lab.

Supervision style: Directive support: B / Training structure: 6

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a week

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with: We have weekly lab meetings with the other (currently seven) Drosophila groups in Cardiff.

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): Varies year to year as studentship progresses; All in person.

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): Working pattern varies with the demands of the ongoing experimental work. I trust students to do what is necessary when and to organise their time accordingly.

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: There will be regular meetings with the second supervisor. Depending on the phase of the project, there will be frequent guidance and advice from them and their research group.

Notice needed for feedback (based on a 5000 word report): < 1 week

Communication: Available by email every day and always welcome to drop in my office if door is open.

Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: Main supervisor lab: The student will receive experimental training and day-to-day lab support by Borri’s senior postdoc and lab manager Dr Iestyn Pope. Further day-to-day support on image data analysis will be provided by Prof Borri alongside other PhD students in Borri’s lab using similar software. The student will also attend weekly individual technical meetings with Profs Borri and Langbein, and will participate to fortnightly lab meetings. Second supervisor lab: The student will join Cable’s active lab: attend fortnightly hybrid lab meetings, participate in fortnightly lab clean ups and meet at least weekly individually or in a small group with Prof Cable. They will be supported by the lab manager, Dr Elis Arapi, and trained at-the-bench by Drs Numair Masud (biologist) and Peter Hansal (chemist), who are both working on plastic contamination in aquatic systems. Statistical support and day-day advice will be provided by other lab members, including the extensive alumini who frequently visit the lab, many of whom are still engaged in active collaborations (themselves based at relevant organisations e.g. Cefas, EA, NRW, APEM, UKHSA and academia). 

Supervision style: Directive support: A / Training structure:10

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a fortnight

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with: We have joint “Biophotonics and Quantum Optoelectronics” lab meetings of the Borri-Langbein group at the physics-life sciences interface, with lab members in the School of Physics and Astronomy and in Biosciences coming together and presenting their research. The Watson’s and Masia’s research groups in Biosciences also join, with a focus on bioimaging and biosensing respectively. Cable’s lab is very interdisciplinary, frequently having meetings with collaborators in Maths, Chemistry, Engineering, Computer Science and Social Sciences. When suitable, such meetings are open to all in the lab. We also host a range of visitors (mostly recently a PhD from Pakistan for 6 months) to foster our ethos of training all our PhD students to be global citizens.

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): At least once per week; Mixture of virtual/in person.

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): At least within core hours (10-4) and other time to be managed around this. Due to the nature of the research, there may be some weekend and evening working. 

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: The second supervisor will join the technical meetings with the student and the main supervisor every two weeks. The student will spend time in the second supervisor lab during the 2nd rotation project, and as required during the PhD to prepare samples and carry out bioassays. 

Notice needed for feedback (based on a 5000 word report): 1-2 weeks

Communication: Available to e-mail every day. I am happy to be contacted outside of working hours. I may contact students also outside working hours, but I do not expect responses outside working hours. Formal meetings need to be arranged in advance, but I do have an open-door policy and students can drop in anytime outside scheduled meetings.

Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: Primary supervisor is still research and lab active. Initial training and supervision will be performed by primary supervisor and lab members. I will be the main point of contact on a daily basis.

Supervision style: Directive support: A / Training structure: 8

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a week

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with: We have alternating weekly lab meetings and journal clubs between the supervisors with guest speakers invited to talk. We also have weekly lab meetings with the Biophysics lab group exposing you to cutting edge research of optical methods. The molecular Biosciences Division holds a monthly meeting allowing you to engage with other members of the department.

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): At least once per week; All in person.

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): Working pattern is flexible and dictated by equipment availability and sample sensitivity. We often work with live cells that need to be observed throughout the experiment. 

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: Student will be embedded across both research groups. Supervisors have worked successfully together for nearly 20 years, publishing their first paper together in 2005. Joint lab meetings every week (journal club and data presentation). Meeting with both supervisors every 2 weeks.

Notice needed for feedback (based on a 5000 word report): < 1 week

Communication: On site every weekday. Available by email every day. Open-door policy and I actively encourage open discussion of experimental process and techniques as they are ongoing.

Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: Student will initially receive direct training from me in SPSS, in vivo mouse work and stem cell culture and then be supported in their day-to-day research by two post docs with relevant expertise and my technician.

Supervision style: Directive support: C / Training structure: 8

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a week

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with: We also have two monthly meeting with Prof Anthony Isles and monthly divisional meetings hosted by Prof Swann (second local supervisor).

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): At least once a fortnight; All in person.

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): In additions to core hours, due to the nature of the laboratory work, there may be weekend work (animals, stem cell culture) and there will be opportunities for working from home (cohort and other data analysis). 

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: In addition to weekly lab meetings and regular 1:1 meetings with main supervisor; we will have meetings between all three supervisors by zoom 6 times per year. Student will visit the Exeter lab for their rotation and is expected to visit at least once or twice a year. 

Notice needed for feedback (based on a 5000 word report): < 1 week

Communication: I am physically at work 4-5 days/week and my team members are welcome to drop in whenever they like (providing I am not in a meeting). I speak with everyone every day when I am here. Their write-up area is directly outside my office. When not physically in work, I am contactable by email except when i am in a meeting i.e. MRC PSMB or UKRI FLF interviews. My team also have my mobile number for any emergency.

Research Group website >>

How day-to-day research training and support is provided: You will initially be trained by me alongside the PostDoc. Further support and guidance is available from Kille and Jurkowska group on additional techniques and expertise

Supervision style: Directive support: A / Training structure: 7

How often PhD students see you in a timetabled group meeting: At least once a week

Other research groups that PhD students will have the opportunity to frequently interact with: We have joint meetings with Peter Kille and Renata Jurkowska's labs. The laboratory space is shared between Jurkowski and Kille labs.

How often you meet with your PhD students 1-1 formally outside of group meetings (i.e. meetings of >30 minutes): At least once per week; Mixture of virtual/in person.

Expected working pattern (based on a full-time student): Advised working hours are (10-4) to allow training and interaction with other team members, however, working time is flexible and students are encouraged to plan their working time themself

How the second supervisor supports the PhD project: At least every two weeks, the main and second supervisors share lab space and office which facilitates interaction.

Notice needed for feedback (based on a 5000 word report): < 1 week

Communication: Available to e-mail/WhatsApp every day. Meetings don't have to be arranged in advance (open-door policy), yet when a longer meeting is required, arranging a meeting is encouraged.