PhD Scholarship in Ecology and Environmental Biology

Overview

The Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology (Ghent University, Belgium) is urgently looking for someone who is interested and motivated to conduct research about epigenetic mechanisms of inheritance in an ecological strress context.

You will work on a subproject, embedded in the large-scale, multi-partner European Science Foundation project called STRESSFLEA (http://www.esf.org/activities/eurocores/running-programmes/euroeefg/collaborative-research-projects/stressflea.html).

The subproject is focused on unraveling the importance of DNA methylation in the maternal transfer and inheritance of ecological stress response in the aquatic model organism Daphnia, of which the genome has recently been sequenced (Colbourne et al., 2011; Science, vol. 331: pp. 555-561). It builds further on previous work in our laboratory, showing how DNA methylation in Daphnia changes under stress across generations (see for instance Vandegehuchte and Janssen, Ecotoxicology, vol. 20: pp. 607-624). More specifically the subproject consists of four main tasks: (i) sequence the entire methylome of Daphnia magna, (ii) determine changes in the % of methylated cytosines in the genome of D. magna under several kinds of stress (chemicals, predation, pH), (iii) determine the loci at which DNA methylation is changed under stress, and (iv) determine if genome-wide gene expression under predation stress is stably transferred across generations (using whole-genome expression microarrays) and if this can be linked to change in the DNA methylation. Both natural stressors (e.g. fish predation) and antropogenic stressors (chemical pollutants) will be studied.

You will be employed as a Graduate student and receive a Ph. D. fellowship equivalent to a yearly wage of between 25,000 and 30,000 EURO (after deduction of all taxes).

The research position can at the earliest be initiated (i.e. contract date) on September 1st, 2011.

Profile

We are offering a one-year full-time position as a researcher, with possibility of 3-year extension, in case of a positive evaluation. You will work in a team of >20 researchers, with experience in many aspects of environmental ecology and ecotoxicology, including epigenetics (seehttp://lib.ugent.be/bibliografie/801001389985 and http://lib.ugent.be/bibliografie/801000577613). In addition, UGent collaborates strongly with Indiana University (https://wiki.cgb.indiana.edu/display/DGC/Projects#Projects-5), providing access to many Daphnia genomics resources and has also excellent in-house genomics facilities to realize the ambitious aims of this project (e.g., www.nxtgnt.com, molecular biology department of bioscience engineering faculty).

Candidates should have a Masters degree (Ms Sc.) in a Life Science Discipline. Candidates should have a passion for the environment. An education background in molecular biology, genetics, genomics and/or bioinformatics is an asset, but not a pass-fail criteria in case the candidate is eager enough to increase his/her knowledge in these disciplines. Some affinity with statistical data treatment of large datasets can be an additional asset (but is not a pass-fail criteria either).

Candidates obtaining their masters degree before August 31st, 2011 can also apply.

Apply

Candidates should send a short motivation letter (5 lines maximum!) and their detailed curriculum to Karel.Deschamphelaere@UGent.be before July 7th, 2011. The curriculum should include educational history as well as any relevant experience (e.g., molecular biology lab skills, Master thesis subject, publication list, etc.). More detailed information about the content of the project can be obtained upon request at the same E-mail address

http://www.ugent.be/


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