E5 Golden Greens: Harnessing Cyanogenic Plants for Eco-Friendly Gold Recovery

Supervisors: Dr Luis Novo (SRUC), Attila Molnar (School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh), Maciej Kaczmarek (SRUC)

Start date: October 2025

Duration: 3.5 YEARS

Stipend: UKRI stipend levels (£19,237 in 2024/25)

Location: Edinburgh

Closing date for applications: 6 January 2025

Description: Gold mining has historically been associated with environmental degradation, water contamination, and socio-economic challenges [1]. As a sustainable alternative, gold phytomining presents an avenue where plants can be used to extract gold from soil, especially in waste sites with sub-economic gold concentrations [2]. One promising area within this field is the potential use of cyanogenic plants. These plants produce cyanogenic glycosides that, when hydrolysed, release hydrogen cyanide [3], a compound known to enhance the solubility of gold [4], thereby potentially improving its bioavailability and subsequent uptake by plants. Moreover, cyanogenic microbes can further aid in enhancing gold phytoavailability.

Given the significance of this mechanism, understanding the molecular basis behind cyanogenesis is pivotal. This doctoral project aims to explore the genetic and molecular aspects of cyanogenic plants and microbes and their potential for gold phytomining. Employing molecular biology techniques, the research will investigate the expression and regulation of genes associated with cyanogenic activity. Specifically, it will focus on the up-regulation or down-regulation of these genes under various environmental conditions and its correlation with increased gold uptake [4,5]. This project is not only set to refine our understanding of plant-metal interactions at a molecular level but also has the potential to pioneer a greener approach to gold recovery from low-grade ores or tailings [6].

Eligibility:

For entry to PhD study, applicants are expected to have at least one of the following:

• an undergraduate degree, usually with first or upper second (2:1) class honours or equivalent in a relevant subject, or

• a relevant master’s qualification or equivalent evidence of prior professional practice.

International applicants and candidates from non-English speaking countries will need to meet the minimum language requirements for admission onto the programme of study. These can be found in the Entry Requirements section of the PhD in Agriculture, Rural and Environmental Studies webpage

Application Process:

To apply for an SRUC PhD studentship, please follow the guidance below. The SRUC Doctoral College can provide you with support for your application.

Informal enquiries about the project and your application should be addressed to the project supervisor, Dr Luis Novo – [email protected]

Applications are to be submitted via the University of Edinburgh application portal: https://e4-dtp.ed.ac.uk/e5-dtp/supervisor-led-projects/project?item=1618. Applicants are asked to read the full project description before applying.

If you require any additional assistance in submitting your application or have any queries about the application process, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]