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Prof Steve Dorus
Applications accepted all year round
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
Positions remain available for Fall 2013 and Spring 2014
Our lab is broadly interested in evolutionary genetics and genome evolution. Our current research integrates proteomic, transcriptomic and chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHiP) approaches to obtain a systems level perspective of the evolution of sperm development and function. Ultimately, we are interested in the molecular characterization of male reproductive systems across a diverse range of taxa to better understand the interplay between evolutionary conservation and adaptation associated with sexual reproduction. Available projects include, but are not limited to:
1. Male reproductive aging. This project aims to broadly characterize age-depedent molecular changes in sperm and assess their impact on offspring phenotypic variation. Identifying age-dependent variation will be based upon proteomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic approaches.
2. Molecular evolution of genes governing sperm length in Drosophila. Genes identified as regulating sperm flagellum development using a RAD-QTL approach will be analyzed across the Drosophila phylogeny to assess their evolutionary role in the origins of sperm gigantism.
3. Population genetics and evolution of the human sperm proteome. Our recent characterization of the Rhesus macaque sperm proteome will be used as a foundation for analyzing the evolution of the sperm proteome during recent human evolution. This project will leverage the rapidly increasing wealth of human genetic variation data, as well the Neanderthal and other non-human primate genomes.
Graduate students in the lab can expect to have a variety of projects to choose from and are encouraged, wherever possible, to bring their scientific interests to bear on the direction of the research. Graduate students will have access to advanced training in both wet lab and computational research, including the generation and analysis of proteomic, transcriptomic and genome-wide chromatin maps. Students will also have ample opportunities to attend specialized workshops and conferences across a range of disciplines as part of their scientific development.
We encourage students to apply who are interested in evolutionary genetics, comparative genomics, molecular evolution, reproductive biology and developmental biology. As our research is inherently interdisciplinary, we hope that students will benefit greatly from close interactions with other research groups at Syracuse University and SUNY Upstate Medical University, including prominent labs studying sexual selection and sperm competition.
Please visit our website or contact us directly for more information about the research and opportunities in the lab: http://doruslab.syr.edu
Application information: Application must be submitted online. Details and submission requirements can be found at http://biology.syr.edu/grad/application.htm
Our lab is broadly interested in evolutionary genetics and genome evolution. Our current research integrates proteomic, transcriptomic and chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHiP) approaches to obtain a systems level perspective of the evolution of sperm development and function. Ultimately, we are interested in the molecular characterization of male reproductive systems across a diverse range of taxa to better understand the interplay between evolutionary conservation and adaptation associated with sexual reproduction. Available projects include, but are not limited to:
1. Male reproductive aging. This project aims to broadly characterize age-depedent molecular changes in sperm and assess their impact on offspring phenotypic variation. Identifying age-dependent variation will be based upon proteomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic approaches.
2. Molecular evolution of genes governing sperm length in Drosophila. Genes identified as regulating sperm flagellum development using a RAD-QTL approach will be analyzed across the Drosophila phylogeny to assess their evolutionary role in the origins of sperm gigantism.
3. Population genetics and evolution of the human sperm proteome. Our recent characterization of the Rhesus macaque sperm proteome will be used as a foundation for analyzing the evolution of the sperm proteome during recent human evolution. This project will leverage the rapidly increasing wealth of human genetic variation data, as well the Neanderthal and other non-human primate genomes.
Graduate students in the lab can expect to have a variety of projects to choose from and are encouraged, wherever possible, to bring their scientific interests to bear on the direction of the research. Graduate students will have access to advanced training in both wet lab and computational research, including the generation and analysis of proteomic, transcriptomic and genome-wide chromatin maps. Students will also have ample opportunities to attend specialized workshops and conferences across a range of disciplines as part of their scientific development.
We encourage students to apply who are interested in evolutionary genetics, comparative genomics, molecular evolution, reproductive biology and developmental biology. As our research is inherently interdisciplinary, we hope that students will benefit greatly from close interactions with other research groups at Syracuse University and SUNY Upstate Medical University, including prominent labs studying sexual selection and sperm competition.
Please visit our website or contact us directly for more information about the research and opportunities in the lab: http://doruslab.syr.edu
Application information: Application must be submitted online. Details and submission requirements can be found at http://biology.syr.edu/grad/application.htm
Funding Notes
Funding is guaranteed for up to 5 years and comprised of a mixture of teaching and research assistantships. For more details on the graduate program see http://biology.syr.edu/grad/graduate.htm
The Department of Biology at SU is located in the recently constructed Life Science Center which includes modern lab and computational facilities. The Department has a strong concentration in evolutionary research, including several labs which focus specifically on spermatogenesis and sexual selection. SU benefits from a close association with SUNY Upstate Medical University which has a large faculty devoted to clinical research as well as next-generation sequencing, proteomics and microarray facilities.
The Department of Biology at SU is located in the recently constructed Life Science Center which includes modern lab and computational facilities. The Department has a strong concentration in evolutionary research, including several labs which focus specifically on spermatogenesis and sexual selection. SU benefits from a close association with SUNY Upstate Medical University which has a large faculty devoted to clinical research as well as next-generation sequencing, proteomics and microarray facilities.
References
Karr, T.L. and Dorus, S. Evolutionary genomics of spermatozoa. In Evolution in the fast lane: Rapidly evolving genes and genetic systems (eds. Singh, R., Xu J. and Kulathinal, R). Oxford University Press (2012).
Dorus, S., Wilkin, E.C. and Karr, T.L. (2011) Expansion and functional diversification of a leucyl aminopeptidase family that encodes the major protein constituents of Drosophila sperm. BMC Genomics 12: 177.
Dorus, S., Parker, E.R., Busby, J., and Karr, T.L. (2010) Sperm Proteomics Reveals Intensified Selection on Mouse Sperm Membrane and Acrosome Genes. Molecular Biology and Evolution 27(6):1235–1246.
Dorus, S., Wasbrough, E., Wilkin, E., Hester, S., Howard-Murkin, J., Lilley, K. and Karr, T.L. (2010) The Drosophilamelanogaster sperm proteome-II (DmSP-II). Journal of Proteomics 73: 2171-2185. Special Issue on Model Organism Proteomics.
Dorus, S. and Karr, T.L. Sperm Genomics and Proteomics. In Sperm Biology: An Evolutionary Pespective (eds. Birkhead, T.R., Hosken, D.J. and Pitnick, S.). Elsevier Press (2009).
Dorus, S., Freeman, Z.N. and Karr, T.L. (2008) Recent origins of D. melanogaster genes encoding sperm proteins. Molecular Biology and Evolution 25(10): 2157-2166.
Dorus, S., Busby, S.A., Shabanowitz, J., Hunt, D.F. and Karr, T.L. (2006) Genomic and functional evolution of the sperm proteome. Nature Genetics 38(12): 1440-1445.
Dorus, S., Evans, P.D., Choi, S., Wyckoff, J., and Lahn, B.T. (2004) Rate of molecular evolution of the seminal protein gene SEMG2 correlates with levels of female promiscuity. Nature Genetics 36: 1326-1329.
Dorus, S., Wilkin, E.C. and Karr, T.L. (2011) Expansion and functional diversification of a leucyl aminopeptidase family that encodes the major protein constituents of Drosophila sperm. BMC Genomics 12: 177.
Dorus, S., Parker, E.R., Busby, J., and Karr, T.L. (2010) Sperm Proteomics Reveals Intensified Selection on Mouse Sperm Membrane and Acrosome Genes. Molecular Biology and Evolution 27(6):1235–1246.
Dorus, S., Wasbrough, E., Wilkin, E., Hester, S., Howard-Murkin, J., Lilley, K. and Karr, T.L. (2010) The Drosophilamelanogaster sperm proteome-II (DmSP-II). Journal of Proteomics 73: 2171-2185. Special Issue on Model Organism Proteomics.
Dorus, S. and Karr, T.L. Sperm Genomics and Proteomics. In Sperm Biology: An Evolutionary Pespective (eds. Birkhead, T.R., Hosken, D.J. and Pitnick, S.). Elsevier Press (2009).
Dorus, S., Freeman, Z.N. and Karr, T.L. (2008) Recent origins of D. melanogaster genes encoding sperm proteins. Molecular Biology and Evolution 25(10): 2157-2166.
Dorus, S., Busby, S.A., Shabanowitz, J., Hunt, D.F. and Karr, T.L. (2006) Genomic and functional evolution of the sperm proteome. Nature Genetics 38(12): 1440-1445.
Dorus, S., Evans, P.D., Choi, S., Wyckoff, J., and Lahn, B.T. (2004) Rate of molecular evolution of the seminal protein gene SEMG2 correlates with levels of female promiscuity. Nature Genetics 36: 1326-1329.
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