Working with Syngenta on mathematical modelling of formulation composition trade-offs for pesticides.

Jenny graduated with a BSc in Mathematics from the University of the West of England in 2017, and just recently completed her MSc in Modern Applications of Mathematics from the University of Bath. Her Master’s dissertation focused on developing a semi-analytic method to approximate solutions to analytic partial differential equations using multivariate generalised Padè approximations. She is particularly interested in mathematical modelling, as well as numerical analysis. Besides mathematics, she enjoys cooking and listening to music.

Research project title:
Mathematical modelling of formulation composition trade-offs for pesticides

Supervisor(s):
Jane White, Begona Delgado-Charro, Josh Fernandes

Project description:
Creating validated mathematical models that can inform the process of risk assessment during pesticide product development is an industry-wide aspiration. It is particularly challenging given the wide range of formulations that may be used to produce new pesticides and the complexity of developing products that have good foliar uptake but poor dermal absorption. Working with Syngenta, Jenny is developing and analysing a series of spatially explicit mathematical models for membrane penetration parameterised using existing data sets. The impact of formulation products is explored in relation to their physicochemical properties in an attempt to categorise formulation impact across the two membranes. The models will subsequently be combined and analysed within a novel optimisation framework which should highlight the key parameter groupings responsible for good foliar uptake and poor dermal absorption based on existing data sets.