Project overview: Applications are invited for a 3-year funded PhD position. The PhD scholarship stems from Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine funded research project Transform.  This is a large multi-disciplinary collaboration between the School of Food & Nutritional Sciences in University College Cork and the Department of Food Chemistry & Technology at Teagasc.

The objective of the TransForm project is to develop and test novel milk-derived nutritional hydrogels, designed for patients with early-stage cancer cachexia (CC). Current dietary strategies for CC include high-protein beverages and energy-dense diets but compliance rates in those afflicted with CC can be low, due to taste changes and poor appetite among other factors. The proposed technological solution is a thermo-reversible casein based hydrogel, which can function as a natural delivery vehicle for proteins and micronutrients. The successful candidate will focus on the conduct of a clinical trial with patients with cancer to test the efficacy of the hydrogel on protein intake and nutritional status. The candidate will also develop recipes that the hydrogel can be included in.

Scholarship details

The scholarship has a value of €31,000 per annum, which includes a €25,000 stipend and €6000 University Fees. Progression through the PhD programme is subject to satisfactory output of scientific results and publications. The position will be based in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences in the Nutrition & Oncology Research group at UCC, and the successful candidate will be supported by an interdisciplinary team of academic supervisors within the School of Food & Nutritional Sciences.

Academic supervisors: Professor Aoife Ryan & Dr Samantha Cushen.

Start date: 5^th January 2026

Eligibility criteria

1. The successful candidate should be enthusiastic, curious and self-motivated, and be prepared to work independently and as part of team.
2. Essential: A minimum qualification of a 2.1 honours BSc or MSc in Human Nutrition & Dietetics *

*Must be registered or be eligible to register with the Dietitians Registration Board at CORU.  Candidates who are not registered or eligible to register with CORU will not be called for interview.

A minimum level of competency in English is required for registration at UCC. Please see the following link regarding English Language requirements (https://www.ucc.ie/en/study/comparison/english/).

Desirable: clinical experience as a dietitian in acute care with an interest in oncology.