Predicting Pollinator Health and Disease Through Molecular and Sensor-Based Surveillance
This PhD project offers a rare opportunity to work at the intersection of molecular ecology, disease surveillance, statistical modelling and precision apiculture.

Pollinator populations worldwide face significant declines, with colony losses posing a major challenge to biodiversity and food security. This project aims to contribute to understanding the mechanisms underlying this global issue and explore the predictive power that can be harnessed from high resolution remote sensing technologies and molecular biology.

The student will benefit from three approaches:

Leverage a large European-wide dataset of pollen samples collected from 310 hives across 27 countries to apply molecular screening for parasites of concern in bee food and explore predictors of parasite presence by integrating with large datasets on local floral composition and toxin exposure that are already collected [Gain molecular expertise].
Explore the phylogenetic diversity of parasites found in pollen across Europe, offering new insights into host-pathogen evolution and transmission [Gain computational & bioinformatic expertise].
Investigate whether remote hive sensors - tracking bee activity, hive weight, temperature, and humidity over a short period can be used to predict future colony health, offering a novel tool for early-warning systems in pollinator management [Gain predictive modelling, remote sensor and some beekeeping expertise]
Overall, this research has the potential to deliver improved disease management practices, identify applications for early-warning systems, and shape international strategies for pollinator conservation and agricultural sustainability. The student will receive expert training in molecular techniques (qPCR, sequencing), bioinformatics pipelines, predictive modelling, remote sensor use, and beekeeping. They will analyse pollen to assess how floral diversity and toxin exposure influence parasite presence and use longitudinal hive sensor data to identify predictive markers of colony decline. There is flexibility in how much the student wants to work directly with the bee hives – there are opportunities to be very hands on and learn beekeeping, but also, there are people in the Lab group happy to help with the bee work and the sensors can be used with minimal beekeeping if preferred by the student. The project includes opportunities for fieldwork, international collaboration, and engagement with citizen scientists and beekeepers, with strong support for presenting findings at international conferences and publishing in high-impact journals.

You will be based at Imperial College London’s Silwood Park campus, a world-renowned centre for ecology and evolution research https://www.imperial.ac.uk/silwood-park/ . The campus hosts a vibrant community of scientists working on topics such as host–parasite interactions, pollinator ecology, remote sensing, and machine learning, providing an exceptional environment for collaboration and idea exchange. Facilities include a dedicated research apiary, newly equipped insect rearing rooms, and state-of-the-art genomics and microbiology suites - all set within 100 hectares of natural parkland that serves as a living laboratory for field experiments.

Studentship details and application process. Applicants should hold a First Class or an Upper Second-Class degree (or equivalent overseas qualification) in a biological discipline, such as ecology, zoology, biology or entomology. Imperial would normally expect successful applicants to hold or achieve a master’s degree in a related field. Experience using large datasets, remote sensing or molecular biology will be beneficial. Applicants will be shortlisted and those on the shortlist interviewed by the end of October. The strongest candidate will then be scored against others applying for an Imperial College London President’s Scholarship across the entire college. Typically, successful candidates for the President’s Scholarship will at least have a masters, and evidence of publication quality research is also a bonus.

Successful candidate will receive;

Full funding for tuition fees (national and international)
A stipend of £26,500 (2026-27 rate) per annum to assist with living costs
A lab consumables fund of £2,000 per annum for the first 3 years of study
A programme of bespoke opportunities and events delivered by the Early Career Researcher Institute (ECRI)
You will also have access to the full range of support available to postgraduates at Imperial, including tailored support for disabled and international students, and the wider Early Career Researcher Institute Learning and development courses.

For informal enquiries please contact Dr Peter Graystock (p.graystock@imperial.ac.uk). For application, please send a full CV, and contact details for two academic referees to p.graystock@imperial.ac.uk by 24th October 2025. Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed the following week. If you wish to see more details of the research taking place in the Graystock lab, visit https://www.graystock.info/

We regret that due to the large volume of applications received, we are only able to notify those shortlisted for interview.