Targeting Chloroplasts to Enhance Crop Salt Tolerance

School of Science

Lead Researcher: Doctor Jay Bose

About the project

The School of Science offers a range of courses and research degrees across the continuum from the agriculture, science to the medical science. Postgraduate students have the opportunity to undertake a research degree, working with many internationally-renowned researchers. Our research facilities allow students to learn in state-of-the-art science laboratories, greenhouses and field sites. Our world class research strengths are testament to our commitment to solving global problems and contributing to society.

We are now offering a research scholarship to a highly motivated PhD candidate to work within a research team to investigate the effect of salinity stress on chloroplasts, the organelles in which photosynthesis occurs. The PhD Program forms part of a four-year Future Fellowship project funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) to Dr Jay Bose.

Salt stress severely inhibits photosynthesis in salt-sensitive crops (glycophytes), and thus their fitness, growth, and yield. Some naturally salt-loving plants (halophytes) can tolerate elevated soil salt concentrations. Emerging data suggests that a key to the increased salt tolerance of salt-loving plants lies in their chloroplasts. The overall objective of this project is to discover and characterise solute (water and ion) transport mechanisms operating in chloroplast membranes that underpin salt tolerance in naturally salt-loving plants (halophytes). These advances in understanding will create targeted opportunities to introduce salt-tolerance genes into salt-sensitive crops (e.g. canola, cotton, wheat, barley and rice), creating rapid, and step-change improvements in crop productivity in saline soils.

The PhD student will be responsible for gene cloning and their functional characterisation of water and ion transporter genes relevant to chloroplast volume regulation in crops. The PhD student will conduct laboratory and greenhouse experiments to test salinity tolerance of model plants as well as selected transgenic plants.

What does the scholarship provide?

  • Domestic candidates will receive a tax-free stipend of $33,511(AUD) per annum for up to 3 years to support living costs, supported by the Research Training Program (RTP) Fee Offset.
  • Support for conference attendance, fieldwork and additional costs as approved by the School of Science.

Eligibility criteria

We welcome applicants from a range of backgrounds, who are keen to apply their skills to key issues in agricultural science. In particular, the project is suitable for candidates with strong interests in plant physiology, molecular biology and evolutionary biology.

The successful applicant should:

  • hold qualifications and experience equal to one of the following: (i) an Australian First-Class Bachelor (Honours) degree, (ii) coursework Masters with at least 25% research component, (iii) Research Masters degree, or (iv) equivalent overseas qualifications.
  • demonstrate strong academic performance in subjects relevant to crop science, biotechnology, and plant science.
  • have an understanding of the importance of plant molecular breeding and be willing to learn analytical techniques applicable to omics, bioinformatics and molecular evolution.
  • be enthusiastic and highly motivated to undertake further study at an advanced level.

How to apply

  1. Review the project’s eligibility criteria. You will need to provide in your application a document which explains how you satisfy the projects eligibility criteria.
  2. Contact the lead researcher listed to discuss your eligibility, the project’s requirements and your intention to apply. You should email them to introduce yourself, describe your qualifications and experience, and express your interest in their research project. If they are interested, you may want to arrange a phone call, video call or meeting to discuss your application. You will need to request a letter of support from the lead researcher to support your application for the scholarship.
  3. Submit an online application for the project by logging into the Online Portal and selecting 'Project Scholarship'. Note: You do not need to submit an application for Doctor of Philosophy or Research Scholarship.

Incomplete applications or applications that do not conform to the above requirements will not be considered.

For questions and advice about the scholarship application process, please submit your scholarship enquiry:

  • Currently enrolled WSU HDR candidate, please submit your enquiry here
  • Not currently enrolled WSU HDR candidate, please submit your enquiry here

For questions and advice about the research project, please contact the Lead Researcher;
Doctor Jay Bose: j.bose@westernsydney.edu.au

Applications close 31 August 2025

*Applications close at 11.59pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT).

Scholarship reference code: PS2022_021_SoSC