Openings

PDRA Oak Processionary Moth and forest metabarcoding Now closed

A 2-year postdoc is available using DNA barcoding and next generation sequence (NGS) metabarcoding to study forest ecological networks and forest health. This project has a particular focus on the Oak Processionary Moth (OPM; Thaumetopoea processionea), an invasive species that is highly damaging to oak trees and which poses health risks to humans. Our groups have very considerable expertise of DNA barcoding, including parasitoid barcoding experiments already running in agricultural systems, and metabarcoding of eukaryotic communities. There is considerable scope for a motivated PDRA to bring their own ideas to complement our own, and develop NGS metabarcoding approaches to characterise forest community composition more broadly.

Please see PDRA studying OPM and forest metabarcoding for details and https://jobs.hull.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=FS0065 to apply.

Postdoctoral Research Associate – Evolutionary Genomics Now closed

A 36 month PDRA position is now available in my lab. This exciting project is to study the evolutionary comparative genomics of Root Knot Nematodes employing a variety of different reproductive modes. The PDRA will analyse an enormous comparative genomics dataset to understand how recombination and inbreeding influence genome structure and content. Some details of the project are on the linked page and you are welcome to contact me to discuss the position, but your application will need to go through the official channels.

Please see PDRA in Evolutionary Comparative Genomics page for details.

PDRA Parasitoids and Food Webs – Now Closed

A 2-year postdoc is available co-supervised by myself and Dr Darren Evans. This project will be to use modern DNA techniques to investigate agricultural food webs, focussing especially on the interaction of parasitoid wasps with aphids and leaf miners. We are looking for someone who has proven ability in a molecular lab, with lots of experience of PCR, DNA barcoding, and DNA data analysis. The postdoc, guided by Darren Evans, will establish and maintain replicated field experiments (in collaboration with industrial partners) to examine how climate affects the structure and functioning of aphid-parasitoid and leafminer-parasitoid interaction networks. The postdoc will develop and extend the suite of molecular tools currently deployed to accurately determine parasitism rates and identity. This will provide the highly resolved data necessary for quantitative network construction and analysis.

Please see PDRA Parasitoids and Food Webs page for details.

Fellowships

If you would like to apply for a NERC fellowship, Marie Curie fellowship, or have the possibility of a studentship, diplomarbeit etc I would welcome discussing you joining the lab. I am happy for you to develop your own project, though I do also have a number of projects developed which you could alter to your own taste, please email me if you would like to discuss. You might like to look at Research, Ongoing Projects, and Previous Projects pages.

MSc: If you have a strong undergraduate background, and  are considering a self-funded MSc by research in bioinformatics, comparative genomics, molecular evolution or phylogenomics, I have several projects I could suggest for you to carry out. The Evolutionary Biology Group is an excellent place to study with a wide variety of other researchers with which to interact.

Research Fellows: The Department of Biological Sciences has a great track record of supporting research fellows, several of whom have gone on permanent positions within the Department. There are eight members of staff in the Evolutionary Biology Group and we hold weekly well-attended  journal clubs, lab meetings (and of course coffee each day!). Our ‘Research fellow support package‘ will vary depending on your needs, but could include e.g. access to extensive molecular biology laboratories and equipment, a purpose built ancient DNA laboratory, temperature controlled growth rooms, very extensive freshwater and marine aquaria, bioinformatics laboratory. See Department of Biological Sciences Facilities. We will provide a personal mentor from the established academic staff and give you the opportunity to be involved in small amounts of undergraduate teaching if you wished (though it would not be required). Research fellows will be able to apply for internal research support funds each year, for small pilot projects leading to grant proposals, or similar.

Evolutionary Biology Group July 2012. From left to right: Paul Nichols, Africa Gomez, Isabella Capellini, Sonia Jennings, Chris Venditti, Bernd Hanfling, Dave Lunt, Alan Smith, Lori Lawson Handley, Dan Jeffries, Tom Mathers, Jo Baker, Renske Gudde, Stephane Derocles, Carmen Gabaldon-Tebar, Carla Olmo (Lesley Morrell, Steve Moss, Domino Joyce, Mark Culling, Andrea Simon, Helen Kimbell not pictured).