Engineering yeast flavours for food and beverages

You will advance microbial flavour engineering to enable sustainable foods and beverages with improved sensory acceptance. You will engineer industrial yeast using iterative CRISPR-based genome editing and regulatory tuning, coupled to quantitative volatilome profiling and trained sensory evaluation to increase desirable aroma/flavour compounds while reducing off-notes. Genome-scale metabolic models will guide target selection and interpretation of carbon/redox trade-offs, and machine-learning models will link genotype, process conditions, and volatilomes to sensory outcomes to enable predictive strain design.
In addition, controlled fermentation studies will quantify how oxygen transfer, nutrient regimes, and feed strategies shape flavour formation, enabling translation from screening formats to production-relevant conditions. Selected high-performing strains will be validated using targeted analytics and replicate sensory testing to confirm robustness and reproducibility.

The Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) at The University of Queensland (UQ) provides an ideal research ecosystem for this PhD project. 

AIBN offers world-class facilities and a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach, fostering innovative research in synthetic biology and bioproduction. The PhD candidate will have full access to state-of-the-art synthetic biology and fermentation laboratories, including advanced analytical tools, bioreactors, and liquid handling robots for high-throughput experiments.

Beyond these physical resources, AIBN offers a intellectually stimulating environment and 
vibrant and knowledgeable research culture, an ideal place for high-quality research in synthetic biology and fermentation-based manufacturing.

This project is supported by the Research project scholarship.

Learn more about the Research project scholarship.

Your application will be assessed on a competitive basis.

We take into account your:

• previous academic record
• publication record
• honours and awards
• employment history.

A working knowledge of synthetic biology, systems biology, and microbiology and fermentation would be of benefit to someone working on this project.

You will demonstrate academic achievement in the fields of molecular biotechnology, synthetic biology, and bioengineering and the potential for scholastic success.

A background or knowledge of molecular biotechnology, biochemistry, and analytics is highly desirable.

You must submit an expression of interest (EOI) by 13 August, 2026 13 August, 2026.

Before you apply

1. Check your eligibility for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
2. Prepare your documentation.
3. If you have any questions about whether the project is suitable for your research interests, contact Dr Birgitta Ebert (birgitta.ebert@uq.edu.au).

When you apply

To apply, submit an expression of interest (EOI) for the program. You don't need to apply separately for the project or scholarship. How to submit an EOI

In your EOI, complete the ‘Scholarship/Sponsorship’ section with the following details:

1. Are you applying for an advertised project: 'Yes'
2. Project: 'Research project scholarship'
3. Scholarship Code Listed in the Advertisement: YEAST-EBERT
4. Link to Scholarship Advertisement: https://study.uq.edu.au/study-options/phd-mphil-professional-doctorate/projects/engineering-yeast-flavours-food-and-beverages

Submit an EOI