By scholarshipswithaakash@gmail.com 
PhD in Biobased Insecticides – Looking to revolutionize sustainable agriculture and crop protection? The Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), in partnership with Ghent University (UGent), is offering an exciting, fully funded 4-year PhD position. If you have a Master’s in bioengineering, biotechnology, plant biology, or a related field, and a passion for plant defense and eco-friendly pest management, this opportunity could shape your future.
🌐 PhD in Belgium: Eco-Friendly Insect Control Using Chicory Metabolites
- PhD Location: Belgium (Merelbeke-Melle)
- Institution: ILVO & Ghent University
- Research Area: Biobased insecticides from chicory
- Start Date: Flexible, post-August 10, 2025
- Duration: 4 years
- Funding: Fully funded with salary, social security, and pension
- Deadline: August 10, 2025
📅 Why This PhD Fellowship Stands Out
This innovative PhD program investigates the role of sesquiterpene lactones (SLs), naturally occurring bitter compounds in chicory, and their potential to act as biobased insecticides. As synthetic chemical use is phased out due to ecological and health concerns, plant-based solutions offer a promising frontier for sustainable crop protection.
You’ll explore how SLs help plants resist pests such as Frankliniella occidentalis and Thrips tabaci. This is your chance to contribute to real-world agroecological solutions.
🎓 Program Highlights
- ✔ Fully funded for 4 years (initial 1-year contract, renewable up to 4 years based on performance)
- ✔ Monthly salary aligned with Belgian academic assistant staff rates
- ✔ Covered by Belgian social security and pension system
- ✔ Multidisciplinary supervision across ILVO, UGent, and Wageningen University & Research, including industry collaboration
🧳 Your Research Objectives
As a PhD fellow, you will:
- Design and execute bioassays with thrips species (Frankliniella occidentalis, Thrips tabaci)
- Assess insecticidal activities – toxicity, repellency, and mortality using chicory extracts
- Develop automated image analysis tools with RGB/multispectral imaging for phenotyping
- Conduct greenhouse experiments using mutant chicory lines with modified SL content
- Perform transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic profiling to elucidate plant defense mechanisms
- Use Python or R for bioinformatics and data modeling
💼 Eligibility Criteria
To apply for this fully funded PhD position in Belgium, candidates must meet the following:
🎓 Educational Qualifications
- Master’s degree in Bioengineering, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Plant Sciences, or a closely related field
- Applicants with non-Belgian degrees must secure equivalence recognition from NARIC Vlaanderen
🚀 Desired Skills & Experience
- Familiarity with plant-insect interaction assays
- Hands-on experience with omics technologies (RNA-seq, LC-MS, etc.)
- Solid foundation in plant immunity and defense signaling
- Programming skills in Python or R
- Strong data analysis skills in bioinformatics or image processing
- Excellent communication skills and ability to work in a team
🙋🏻 Who Should Apply?
This position is ideal for researchers who:
- Are passionate about sustainable agriculture and biotechnology
- Thrive in collaborative, multidisciplinary research settings
- Wish to work at the interface of plant biology, entomology, and bioinformatics
- Seek to contribute directly to the development of next-generation bioinsecticides
🏢 About the Institutions
ILVO (Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food) is one of Europe’s top institutes advancing agricultural sustainability through research and innovation.
Ghent University (UGent) is consistently ranked among the top 100 universities in the world and known for cutting-edge research in plant sciences, biotechnology, and environmental science.
Together, ILVO and UGent provide world-class infrastructure, interdisciplinary mentorship, and extensive global research networks.
🌎 Career Prospects Post-PhD
This PhD fellowship offers an ideal springboard for careers in:
- Sustainable agriculture and integrated pest management
- Biotech industry focused on green solutions
- Academic research in plant sciences, omics, and chemical ecology
- Policy and consulting roles in agri-environmental innovation
📆 Application Process
Deadline: Sunday, August 10, 2025
To apply, ensure you:
- Review and meet the eligibility requirements (educational and technical)
- Prepare a CV, motivation letter, and contact details of references
- Submit your application according to ILVO and UGent guidelines
For any query regarding your application you can also contact us at scholarshipwithakash@gmail.com
🤝 Contact Information
Scientific Inquiries:
- Willem Desmedt: willem.desmedt@ilvo.vlaanderen.be | +32 9 272 24 10
- Katrijn Van Laere: katrijn.vanlaere@ilvo.vlaanderen.be | +32 9 272 28 85
HR Queries:
- Caroline Buyst: caroline.buyst@ilvo.vlaanderen.be | +32 9 272 25 12
Project Link:
Visit the Official Project Call Here
⭐ Final Words
This PhD program in Belgium is more than just a research opportunity—it’s your gateway to contributing to the global movement for greener agriculture. You will be at the forefront of scientific innovation, making a difference through real-world applications.
📅 Apply by August 10, 2025, and help pioneer the future of sustainable pest management!
Stay tuned with Scholarships with Aakash — Where Your Academic Dreams Take Flight.
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