PhD Studentship: High Impact sulphur flavour compounds in hop products

2 weeks ago


Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time


Supervisor: Prof. David Cook (Brewing Science)

Secondary Supervisor: Dr Joanna Yorke (Brewing Science), Prof. Ian Fisk (Food & Nutritional Sciences), Prof. Ray Marriott (TNS Ltd)

Subject Area:  Flavour chemistry, analytical science, brewing science

Research Description

An exciting opportunity has arisen to study for a PhD alongside our commercial partner, Totally Natural Solutions Limited (TNS), to develop novel, clean label and sustainable flavourings for use in brewing and other industries. TNS specialize in the use of green extraction techniques, such as liquid or supercritical CO2, to prepare flavour extracts from hops and other botanicals. Converting these feedstocks into flavour enriched extracts offers efficiencies in their distribution, storage and use in brewing, providing sustainable solutions to the brewer relative to processes such as dry hopping which can incur significant beer losses.

This project will be focused around intensely aromatic hop sulfur compounds such as 4-methyl-mercaptopentanone (4-MMP) or 3-MH (3-mercaptohexanol). These and related compounds are responsible for the tropical, citrus and exotic fruit flavours typically present in beers dry-hopped with ‘New World’ varieties. The program of work will establish analytical protocols for these low level, high flavour impact sulfur compounds using techniques such as GC-PFPD and GC-QTOF/SCD. These will then be applied throughout the project to appraise the sulfur fractions resulting from different varieties, hop oil isolation techniques and fractionation processes, to support development of commercial products with desirable flavour properties.

Training will be provided in the necessary analytical and sensory techniques. As part of this study there will be the opportunity to spend time in the TNS research labs under the supervision of Prof Ray Marriott to gain experience in the extraction and fractionation of hop oils using supercritical CO2 techniques at laboratory and production scale.
 The project is ideally suited to students with a strong understanding of analytical and separation science and a keen interest in applying these to flavour and brewing research.

Award Start Date: 01/10/2024

Duration of Award: 42 months

Terms and Conditions:  This research studentship is only available to UK citizens and includes full payment of Tuition Fees and a tax-free student stipend paid at UKRI rates (starting at £19,237 in 24/5).

Applicant Qualification Requirements:  BSc (Hons) 2i or above, or MSci/MChem (Hons) 2i or above or MSc in a relevant scientific discipline (examples include Chemistry, Analytical Sciences, Food Science, Brewing Science, Agriculture, Chemical or Process Engineering).



  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Location: UK Other Supervisor: Prof. David Cook (Brewing Science) Secondary Supervisor: Dr Joanna Yorke (Brewing Science), Prof. Ian Fisk (Food & Nutritional Sciences), Prof. Ray Marriott (TNS Ltd) Subject Area: Flavour chemistry, analytical science, brewing science Research Description An exciting opportunity has arisen to study for a PhD alongside our...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Project description Construction of large and deep shafts in urban areas is necessary for various construction activities, such as tunnel construction where shafts serve as integral components of the tunnel construction and often operational phases. As tunnels are constructed ever deeper due to the congestion of underground space, so must the shafts...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Applications are invited for an industrial led PhD studentship aimed at developing new, sustainable, advanced concrete materials with carbon negative footprints. To achieve this breakthrough we will use a multi-discipline approach incorporating organic and polymer chemistry, materials science and leading-edge data analysis, including machine learning/AI...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    The Faculty of Science AI Doctoral Training Centre (DTC) invites applications from Home students for fully-funded PhD studentships to carry out multidisciplinary research in the world-transforming field of Artificial Intelligence, commencing 1st October 2024. The studentships will have a duration of 48 months, with an annual stipend at the UKRI rate...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Midlands Graduate School Doctoral Training Partnership ESRC DTP Strategic Joint Studentship University of Nottingham and University of Birmingham The Midlands Graduate School is an accredited Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). One of 14 such partnerships in the UK, the Midlands Graduate School is a...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom Midlands Graduate School Doctoral Training Partnership Full time

    ESRC DTP Strategic Joint Studentship University of Nottingham and University of Birmingham The Midlands Graduate School is an accredited Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). One of 14 such partnerships in the UK, the Midlands Graduate School is a collaboration between the Universities of Warwick, Birmingham,...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Midlands Graduate School Doctoral Training Partnership ESRC DTP Strategic Joint Studentship University of Nottingham and University of Birmingham The Midlands Graduate School is an accredited Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). One of 14 such partnerships in the UK, the Midlands Graduate School is a collaboration...


  • Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom Midlands Graduate School Doctoral Training Partnership Full time

    ESRC DTP Strategic Joint StudentshipUniversity of Nottingham and University of BirminghamThe Midlands Graduate School is an accredited Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). One of 14 such partnerships in the UK, the Midlands Graduate School is a collaboration between the Universities of Warwick, Birmingham,...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    The Biochar Demonstrator is part of the UK Research and Innovation £31.5M programme in greenhouse gas removal1 to help the UK meet its net zero climate target by 2050. Biochar is a charcoal-like material, produced from heating biomass in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis). The interdisciplinary Biochar Demonstrator project is addressing the...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    This 36-month funded PhD studentship will contribute to cutting-edge advancements in automated drug discovery through the integration of high data-density reaction/bioanalysis techniques, laboratory automation & robotics and machine learning modelling. This exciting project involves the application of innovative methods such as high-throughput...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Subject area: Drug Discovery, Laboratory Automation, Machine Learning Overview: This 36-month funded PhD studentship will contribute to cutting-edge advancements in automated drug discovery through the integration of high data-density reaction/bioanalysis techniques, laboratory automation & robotics and machine learning modelling. This exciting...

  • PhD Studentship

    7 days ago


    Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Background Applicants are invited to undertake a 4 year, fully-funded PhD studentship within the Centre of Excellence in Coatings and Surface Engineering (CE-CSE) at the University of Nottingham and Rolls Royce. Rolls Royce produces aeroengines for civil and defence aerospace and the company is interested in environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) for the...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Project title: Development and application of recombinant antibodies to map pathology-related changes in glycosaminoglycans on breast cancer cells Principal supervisor: Professor Kevin Gough Other supervisors: Professor Cathy Merry, Dr Cinzia Allegrucci, Dr Jennifer Ashworth, Dr Kieran Pitchers Background: The School of Veterinary Medicine and Science...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Supervisor: Dr John Foulkes (Brewing Science) Secondary Supervisor: Dr Guillermina Mendiondo (Brewing Science), Joe Bevan (Technical Innovation Manager, Molson Coors Beverage Company) Research Description An exciting opportunity has arisen to study for a PhD sponsored by Molson Coors Beverage Company and the BBSRC as a part of a collaborative training...

  • Fully funded

    4 days ago


    Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Supervisor: Dr Davide De Focatiis This is an exciting opportunity with full funding for fees and stipend for a 3-year home (UK) PhD studentship to work on a collaborative research project between the University of Nottingham and the University of Oxford to study the failure under impact of amorphous polymers. Background: Ballistic impact is a...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Project title:  Development and application of recombinant antibodies to map pathology-related changes in glycosaminoglycans on breast cancer cells Principal supervisor : Professor Kevin Gough Other supervisors:  Professor Cathy Merry, Dr Cinzia Allegrucci, Dr Jennifer Ashworth, Dr Kieran Pitchers Background: The School of Veterinary Medicine...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Supervisor: Dr John Foulkes (Brewing Science) Secondary Supervisor: Dr Guillermina Mendiondo (Brewing Science), Joe Bevan (Technical Innovation Manager, Molson Coors Beverage Company) Research Description An exciting opportunity has arisen to study for a PhD sponsored by Molson Coors Beverage Company and the BBSRC as a part of a collaborative...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Ball bearings and roller bearings play crucial roles in most rotating machines. Their design and selection involves a complex mix of considerations including component life under normal running conditions, power losses, vibrations in the machine and the ability to carry exceptional loads when/if these loads come to exist. These bearings, collectively called...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Ball bearings and roller bearings play crucial roles in most rotating machines. Their design and selection involves a complex mix of considerations including component life under normal running conditions, power losses, vibrations in the machine and the ability to carry exceptional loads when/if these loads come to exist. These bearings, collectively...


  • Nottingham, United Kingdom University of Nottingham Full time

    Applications are invited to undertake a 3 year PhD programme in partnership with industry to address key challenges in manufacturing engineering. The successful candidate will be based at the Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology at The University of Nottingham. We are seeking applicants for an...