Dr Juliano Morimoto, University of Aberdeen; Dr Mamatha Thota, University of Lincoln; Prof Jo Smith, University of Aberdeen; Marco Tulio Tejeda, Nasekomo

Did you know that insects could be central to a more sustainable future? They can upcycle organic waste into high-value protein and fat, support biological control, and provide low-carbon alternatives to conventional animal feed. 

Yet the growth of insect-based industries is limited by one major bottleneck: how to design diets that are affordable, environmentally responsible, and biologically effective. 

Diets typically account for over half of production costs, and even small changes in composition can alter growth rates, survival, and nutrient conversion. Despite decades of research, diet formulation remains largely trial-and error. 

This project uses cutting-edge AI to transform diet design into a data-driven, scalable process. You will develop an automated pipeline for gathering, extracting, and structuring knowledge from scientific literature and online repositories, generating the first comprehensive database linking diet composition to insect performance and environmental footprint. 

Building on this, you will train multi-modal transformers to predict multi-trait responses and to design diets that balance growth, cost, and carbon impact.

 Finally, working with our industry partner NASEKOMO®, you will test AI-designed diets in large-scale black soldier fly rearing trials providing rare experience in deploying Generative Active Learning models directly into industrial biotechnology. 

This PhD offers outstanding interdisciplinary training. 

You will gain skills in: • Generative AI (Diffusion Models), Multi-Modal Deep Learning, Explainable AI and Conformal Prediction. 

• Natural language processing (SciBERT) and automated data extraction. 

• Sustainability science and life-cycle assessment. 

• Experimental design and validation in real industrial environments 

You will be co-supervised by specialists in AI, insect biology, and sustainability assessment, working within a collaborative team spanning academia and industry. 

For students excited by real-world impact, this project offers a unique opportunity to apply AI to one of the most urgent sustainability challenges in the agri-food sector and to help shape the future of sustainable protein systems.