Investigating the ‘cry-for-help’ effect in wheat (MALONE_J27DTP)
Application Deadline: 30 November 2026 23:59 UK Time
Location: John Innes Centre
Funding Type: Competition Funded (Home and International)
Start Date: 1 October 2027
Mode of Study: Full-time
Programme Type: PhD
Project Description
Primary Supervisor - Professor Jacob Malone
Soil microbial associations with roots are highly complex and incredibly important for healthy plant growth. Consequently, plants secrete diverse metabolites to attract/repel key microorganisms from the surrounding soil. Plant-recruited microbes contribute to plant health in multiple ways, including nutrient solubilisation, growth promotion and pathogen antagonism. Recent evidence suggests that plant roots actively recruit beneficial microbes in response to pathogen attack, the so-called ‘cry-for-help’ effect. While we understand the broad principles of the cry-for-help effect, many details of this phenomenon are poorly understood.
In this project, the student will analyse wheat split-root microcosms inoculated with microbial communities of varying complexity to explore the relationship between pathogen challenge, root metabolite secretion and soil microbiome recruitment. Using a combination of molecular and environmental microbiology, bioinformatic analysis, metabolomics and plant-microbe interaction assays, they will dissect the wheat cry-for-help effect in unprecedented detail. The project will ultimately lead to a comprehensive understanding of wheat metabolite secretion and its role in recruiting microbial communities and maintaining healthy soils. This knowledge will be crucial to the development of the next generation of sustainable, high-yielding wheat varieties.
The studentship will be based at the John Innes Centre and the neighbouring Earlham Institute. Both partners provide cutting-edge research facilities and a stimulating research and training environment, working alongside world-leading experts in soil microbiology and plant-microbe interactions. They will be part of a friendly, collaborative research team and will gain excellent training in a range of skills and techniques. The combination of transferrable, technical skills associated with the project will make the successful candidate highly employable, in industry or academia.
The Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Programme (NRPDTP) is offering fully funded studentships for October 2027 entry. The programme offers postgraduates the opportunity to undertake a 4-year PhD research project whilst enhancing professional development and research skills through a comprehensive training programme. You will join a vibrant community of world-leading researchers. All NRPDTP students undertake a three-month professional internship placement (PIPS) during their study. The placement offers exciting and invaluable work experience designed to enhance professional development. Full support and advice will be provided by our Professional Internship team.
This project has been shortlisted for funding by the NRPDTP. Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th February 2027.
Visit our website for further information on eligibility and how to apply: https://biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk
Our partners value diverse and inclusive work environments that are positive and supportive. Students are selected for admission without regard to gender, marital or civil partnership status, disability, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or social background.
To maximise accessibility and attract students from underrepresented groups to our programme we have introduced bespoke templates for applicant Personal and Research statements which will enable every applicant to fully represent themselves through providing suitable examples and evidence. These forms are on the NRPDTP website and must be used for these sections of the application form.
Entry Requirements
At least UK equivalence Bachelors (Honours) 2:1. English Language requirement (Faculty of Science equivalent: IELTS 6.5 overall, 6 in each category).
Funding
This project is awarded with a 4-year Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership PhD DTP studentship. The studentship includes payment of tuition fees (directly to the University), a stipend to cover living expenses (2026/27 stipend rate: £21,805, and a Research Training Support Grant of £5,000pa for each year of the studentship.
References
"The genotype of barley cultivars influences multiple aspects of their associated microbiota via differential root exudate secretion
A Pacheco-Moreno, A Bollmann-Giolai, …& JG Malone, PLOS Biology 22 (4), e3002232 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002232 Evolutionary genomics reveals variation in structure and genetic content implicated in virulence and lifestyle in the genus Gaeumannomyces.
R Hill, M Grey, ...& M McMullan, BMC Genomics 26, 239 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-025-11432-0 Host plant selects bacterial rhizosphere microbiome function whereas community structure is determined by soil legacy
RG Taketani, IM Clark, ...JG Malone …& TH Mauchline ISME Communications (2026) ycag083 Crying out for help with root exudates: adaptive mechanisms by which stressed plants assemble health-promoting soil microbiomes.
Rolfe, S. A., Griffiths, J. & Ton, J. Curr Opin Microbiol 49, 73-82 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mib.2019.10.003 "
