- Supervisors: Dr Chema Martin
- Funding: Leverhulme Trust
- Deadline: 1st September 2023
The following fully-funded PhD studentship is available in the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences with an expected start date of Jan 2024.
Research environment
The School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences at Queen Mary is one of the UK’s elite research centres, according to the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). We offer a multi-disciplinary research environment and have approximately 150 PhD students working on projects in the biological and psychological sciences. Our students have access to a variety of research facilities supported by experienced staff, as well as a range of student support services.
The Martín-Durán Lab is a vibrant research group studying the evolution of animal development from many different angles and combining an array of techniques. Currently, the Martín-Durán Lab consists of 2 postdoctoral researchers and 4 PhD students and is funded by the European Comission through a prestigious ERC Starting Grant, as well as by UK national funding bodies (Royal Society, Wellcome Trust, BBSRC and the Leverhulme Trust). You can learn more about who we are and what we do at www.martinduranlab.com or contacting Chema Martin at [Email Address Removed]
Training and development
Our PhD students become part of Queen Mary’s Doctoral College which provides training and development opportunities, advice on funding, and financial support for research. Our students also have access to a Researcher Development Programme designed to help recognise and develop key skills and attributes needed to effectively manage research, and to prepare and plan for the next stages of their career.
In this project, you will learn state-of-the-art molecular techniques for epigenomics (ATAC-seq, CUT&Tag) and developmental biology (in situ hybridisation, immunostaining, confocal microscopy). You will get hands on experimental approaches, but also develop proficiency in computational and statistical analyses. In addition to focused training, you will gain project management and presentation skills and participate in international collaborations and networking.
Project description
Many animals develop into transitory larvae before metamorphosing into an adult. A caterpillar and a butterfly are familiar examples of this, but larvae are also widespread in the oceans, where they exhibit a fascinating diversity of forms and functions. The Martin-Duran lab has recently discovered that changes in the formation of the trunk (the body region that comes after the head and runs until the tail) during development explains the evolution of larvae (Martín-Zamora and Liang et al, 2023, Nature). However, how these changes occur remains unclear.
This project will study two larvae of marine segmented worms with distinct timings of trunk development and combine analyses of gene expression and regulation at single-cell resolution to identify the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling adult trunk formation. Does the trunk form in a similar way in larvae that develop it at different timings? What are the mechanisms that make two equivalent structures to form at different timings? By answering these questions in annelids and their tiny marine larvae, you will investigate the fundamental principles of animal embryogenesis and uncover the developmental mechanisms promoting larval evolution, solving a long-standing question in evolutionary developmental biology.
- In this project you will rigorously answer fundamental questions in Biology using state-of-the-art experimental and computation approaches.
- You will have access to large genomic databases, and in-house live organisms to fuel your investigation.
- You will gain experience of developmental biology and molecular techniques (gene expression analyses, epigenomics), bioinformatics (workflows to analyse CUT&Tag data), and statistics.
- You will be encouraged to develop your own ideas, hypotheses and independence.
Funding
The studentship is funded by the Leverhulme Trust and will cover Home tuition fees only, and provide an annual tax-free maintenance allowance for 3 years at the UKRI rate (£20,622 in 2023/24).
Eligibility and applying
Applications are invited from outstanding candidates with or expecting to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree in an area relevant to the project, such as zoology, molecular and developmental biology, biochemistry and bioinformatics. A masters degree is desirable, but not essential.
The most important qualification is, however, your motivation, enthusiasm and that the project appeals to you. Although not essential, some previous computational experience would be a plus. We can envisage strong candidates coming through a variety of routes including:
- practical molecular biology
- developmental and cell biology
- computational biology
Applicants from outside of the UK are required to provide evidence of their English language ability. Please see our English language requirements page for details.
Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Chema Martin at [Email Address Removed] Formal applications must be submitted through our online form by the stated deadline.
The School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences is committed to promoting diversity in science; we have been awarded an Athena Swan Silver Award. We positively welcome applications from underrepresented groups.
http://hr.qmul.ac.uk/equality/
https://www.qmul.ac.uk/sbcs/about-us/athenaswan/
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