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Director of Studies: Dr Manuela Truebano  

Applications are invited for a 3.5 years PhD studentship. The studentship will start on 1 October 2026

Climate change is driving more frequent and intense heatwaves, with major consequences for biodiversity, ecological functioning, and ecosystem services provided to society. In coastal habitats, most research has focused on impacts of marine heatwaves in subtidal environments and tropical or sub-tropical regions, while the temperate intertidal zone remains relatively underexplored, despite being one of the most thermally extreme habitats on Earth. Intertidal organisms face unique challenges, exposed to both marine and atmospheric heatwaves, often in rapid succession or concomitantly. Understanding individual-level responses, and the mechanisms underpinning these, is vital to identifying sensitive and resilient populations and species. Scaling from individuals to community-level responses is then essential for identifying ecological tipping points and forecasting climate change impacts in complex marine ecosystems.

This project will apply a multi-level approach (molecular, physiology and ecology) to investigate how coastal temperate marine invertebrate and macroalgal species respond to extreme heat events, both marine and atmospheric, across multiple biological scales. You will:

The project will be based within collaborative, multi-disciplinary research groups at the Â鶹´«Ã½ and Marine Biological Association, and with strong ties to national and international networks. You will benefit from regular research meetings, journal clubs, and training in:

Your supervisors will help you identify your training and development needs, and use dedicated time and funding within the ARIES DT programme to support your career development. You will be supported to lead manuscripts, present at international conferences, and engage with impact-facing activity.

We seek an enthusiastic individual with a background in biological sciences or related field. Experience with laboratory experiments and/or molecular techniques is advantageous but not essential. A keen interest in physiology and climate change, and strong quantitative analysis skills are essential.

Smith KE, Burrows MT, Hobday AJ, King NG, Moore PJ, Sen Gupta A, Thomsen MS, Wernberg T and Smale DS. 2023. Biological impacts of marine heatwaves. Annual Review of Marine Science 15(1), 119-145

Wernberg, T, Thomsen, MS, Burrows, MT, Smale DA et al. 2025. Marine heatwaves as hot spots of climate change and impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Nat. Rev. Biodivers. 1, 461–479

Stillman JH, Amri AB, Holdreith JM, Hooper A, Leon RV, Pruett LR and Bukaty BM. 2025. Ecophysiological responses to heat waves in the marine intertidal zone. J Exp Biol 228 (2), JEB246503

Collins M, Clark MS and Truebano M. 2023. The environmental cellular stress response: the intertidal as a multistressor model. Cell Stress and Chaperones 28 (5), 467-475

Abbas ASA, Collins M, Ellis R, Spicer JI & Truebano M. 2024. Heat hardening improves thermal tolerance in abalone, without the trade-offs associated with chronic heat exposure. Journal of Thermal Biology, 124, 103963

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum English requirements for the programme, IELTS Academic score of 6.5 (with no less than 5.5 in each component test area) or equivalent.  

Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded ARIES studentship of fees, maintenance stipend, £20,780 p.a. for 2025/26 (2026/27 rate TBC) and research costs. 

A limited number of ARIES studentships are available to International applicants. Please note however that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with relocation to, and living in, the UK.

NB: The studentship is supported for 3.5 years of the four-year registration period. The subsequent 6 months of registration is a self-funded ‘writing-up’ period. 

ARIES is committed to in all areas of its operation. We encourage applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, and transgender status. Projects have been developed with consideration of a safe, inclusive, and appropriate research and fieldwork environment. Academic qualifications are considered alongside non-academic experience, with equal weighting given to experience and potential. 

For further information, please visit

If you wish to discuss this project further informally, please contact Dr Manuela Truebano . 

Please see our apply for a postgraduate research programme page for a list of supporting documents to upload with your application. 

For more information on the admissions process generally, please visit our apply for a postgraduate research programme page or contact the Doctoral College .

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview after the deadline. We regret that we may not be able to respond to all applications. Applicants who have not received a response within six weeks of the closing date should consider their application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.