Bio-Boost Industry Doctoral Landscape Award (iDLA)

Led by the Universities of York and Newcastle, the Bio-Boost Industry Doctoral Landscape Award is funded for 6 years by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. The programme will train a generation of 'industry and government ready' scientists that will harness the power of waste water treatment. The Bio-Boost iDLA is a partnership between the University of York, Newcastle University, UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR), the Environment Agency, Oxford Nanopore Technologies and Waters Corp. The programme provides a multi-disciplinary science and training environment across two closely located campuses, using synergies within and across departments in Environment and Geography, Biology, and Chemistry at the University of York, and the School of Engineering at Newcastle University. Bio-Boost's training is aligned to three research themes delivered within dedicated cohorts: understanding health through innovative approaches to (eco)epidemiology, protecting aquatic environments through enhanced biological removal of emerging chemical pollutants, and creating renewable bioresources for clean and sustainable industry growth. The programme currently recruits for Cohort 1 (2026/27 entry) focusing on delivery of an integrated understanding of health that adopts innovative approaches to (eco)epidemiology that maximise removal of communicable diseases to enhance health security and pandemic preparedness.