Research scholarships

Full project title: Landscape genomics of native and invasive bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) under pathogen impacts

About the scholarship

The bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, though an economically important pollinator globally, is also an invasive insect in several countries. Bombus terrestris is native to the United Kingdom (UK), which is the source of the invasion in New Zealand (NZ), while NZ is the source of an invasion in the Australian island state of Tasmania. However, bumblebees remain absent from the Australian mainland. Notably, the economically devastating virus-transmitting Varroa mite of honeybees facilitates elevated transmission of highly pathogenic viruses, which can be transmitted to bumblebees via contact with honeybees during foraging. The Varroa mite is present in the UK and New Zealand, and although the east coast of the Australian mainland was recently invaded by Varroa in 2022, Tasmania remains Varroa-free.

This project is innovative in its linkages between population genetic connectivity and adaptive genetic variation with viral impacts. Distinctively, the project design enables examination of how pathogen selection pressures (ie from bee viruses and those related to Varroa) may trade off with environmental local adaptation in both native and invasive bumblebees.

This project will use high resolution whole genome sequencing of bumblebees combined with climatic, landscape variables and data on local viral diversity, spanning the UK, New Zealand and Tasmania. Specifically, this PhD project will examine the following general questions:

1. How do patterns of landscape genetic connectivity and adaptive variation differ in B. terrestris between its native (UK) and invasive (NZ and Tasmania) regions?
2. How are viral taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity related to gene flow and local adaptation between sites, relative to the effects of landscape or climatic variables?
3. Are there trade-offs between adapting to pathogen impacts (eg viral loads) and to local environments, what gene functions are involved, and does this depend on being an invasive or native bumblebee?

By identifying selection trade-offs with viral infection and local adaptation in native and introduced B. terrestris, this study increases understanding about how diseases interact with hosts during biological invasions. This project will provide knowledge relevant for managing pollinators under disease threats and climate variability, and therefore the sustainability of food production and biodiversity function.

Availability

This scholarship is available to eligible candidates to undertake a direct entry full time 3.5-year PhD program commencing in the 2025-2026 academic year (St Andrews), 2025 academic year (Macquarie).

Students will enrol at both institutions from the outset. In terms of their location for study, the entry point for students:

• beginning at St Andrews is 27 September
• beginning at Macquarie is 1 October.

Eligibility

Admission and scholarship criteria of both universities must be met:

• For St Andrews, see how to apply and entry requirements.
• For Macquarie, see PhD entry and English language requirements, and graduate research scholarship eligibility criteria.

Additional criteria

Applicants must not already:

• hold a doctoral degree; or
• be matriculated for a doctoral degree at the University of St Andrews, Macquarie University, or another institution.

Components

The student will be expected to spend approximately half of the award term at the University of St Andrews and half at Macquarie University. The successful candidate will be expected to have completed the doctorate degree by the end of the award term. The award term excludes the continuation period and any extension periods.

Funding arrangements are made on the basis that:

• for the period spent at the University of St Andrews, the scholarships will comprise of a full tuition fee award and a stipend paid at the current UK Research Council rate (£19,237 each year at 2024-2025 rates. Note: rates will rise annually in line with UKRI stipend rises).
• Macquarie will fund a living allowance scholarship per position at an annual rate of AUD38,500 (2025 rate, tax exempt), paid pro-rata while the student is in Australia.  A tuition fee scholarship will be granted for the period of joint enrolment up to 42 months.

Macquarie will also provide an airfare allowance for flights between the UK and Australia up to a maximum of $4000 AUD to be arranged by the Graduate Research Academy.

Unless otherwise specified, the scholarships do not cover:

• any continuation, extension, or resubmission period/fees
• a research training grant or another equivalent award for research expenses
• support for travel, immigration, health insurance and related charges between the partner institutions.

How to apply

Students are to submit their EOIs to:

• Rachael Dudaniec (Macquarie supervisor) at rachael.dudaniec@mq.edu.au
• Oscar Gaggiotti (St Andrews supervisor) at oeg@st-andrews.ac.uk
• and cc gr.globalprograms@mq.edu.au.

Include the following documents:

• CV including information about publications
• transcripts of most relevant/recent degrees
• information about thesis components (thesis mark, word count, weight/length in comparison to the degree overall)
• statement of suitability as a candidate for the project (max 500 words).

The participating schools at St Andrews and the Graduate Research Academy at Macquarie in coordination with the academic supervisors will be expected to complete the selection process.

The Global Office at St Andrews will work with the Graduate Research Academy at Macquarie to arrange official notification of scholarship awards, invite scholarship awardees to formally apply for admission to both universities by mid-January 2025, and conclude contractual arrangements which must be in place prior to the start of the degree.

Students who are nominated for the award will be asked to formally apply for candidature through the Macquarie application portal:

Contact us

Further enquiries about the global PhD scholarships may be addressed to: