The University of Bath is inviting applications for this PhD opportunity commencing in October 2021 and based at the Milner Centre for Evolution.
Funding is available to candidates who qualify for ‘Home’ fee status only. Candidates from the EU/EEA are advised to check their eligibility before applying. Please see the Funding Eligibility section below.
What do we need to know in order to predict evolution? The ability to forecast adaptive evolution of populations has many important implications. At an applied level, it may improve our ability to predict the evolution of antimicrobial resistance or pathogen virulence, allowing us to optimise treatment strategies. At a blue-sky level, there is a clear gap in our knowledge that is currently capping our potential to predict adaptive evolution.
Highly predictable evolution can be seen in some systems as extreme parallel evolution. These events offer an ideal opportunity to elucidate the key deterministic evolutionary forces in adaptive evolution. Extreme parallel evolution is typically assumed to be due to strong selection or a small mutational target site. However, we have recently provided the first empirical evidence that synonymous genetic sequence variation can also be a driving factor (BioRxiv; DOI: 10.1101/2021.01.04.425178), and are now looking to further explore the reach of this insight.
The overarching aim of this studentship is to identify and explore features in the genome that may impact the predictability of evolution. Using a combination of bioinformatic analysis with experimental evolution, you will identify sites in the genomes of Pseudomonas species where mutation frequencies are higher than expected and use this training data to analyse the nucleotide sequences surrounding these sites and determine features that might be causing the formation of secondary structures; then you will use experimental evolution techniques to empirically test the causes and consequences of these biases in evolving populations.
Candidate Requirements:
We require a First Class or good Upper Second Class Honours degree (or the equivalent). A master’s level qualification would also be advantageous.
Non-UK applicants must meet our English language entry requirement.
Enquiries and Applications:
Candidates are encouraged to discuss the project directly with Dr Tiffany Taylor ([Email Address Removed]) before applying.
Formal applications should be made via the University of Bath’s online application form.
On the application form, quote ‘Evolution Education Trust’ in the Finance section and the supervisor’s name and project title in the ‘Your research interests’ section. If applying for more than one project, quote the projects in order of preference and upload a separate personal statement relevant to each one.
Your application must be complete when you submit it to us. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. Please ensure you have completed all fields on the application form and supplied the contact details of TWO referees willing to provide us with a reference when requested (one must be from your most recent place of study). Also, you should ensure that you have uploaded all the required documents. See our website for more information.
Interviews will take place on Monday 19 April 2021.
Funding Eligibility:
In order to be considered for a studentship, you must qualify as a ‘Home’ student. In determining ‘Home’ student status, we follow the UK government’s fee regulations which, when available, will be explained on the UKCISA website. Although the fee regulations for 2021/22 have not yet been published, we expect (subject to confirmation) the main categories of students generally eligible for ‘Home’ fee status will be:
- UK nationals (who have lived in the UK, EU, EEA or Switzerland continuously since September 2018)
- Irish nationals (who have lived in the UK or Ireland continuously since September 2018)
- EU/EEA applicants with settled status in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme (who have lived in the UK continuously since September 2018)
- EU/EEA applicants with pre-settled status in the UK under the EU Settlement Scheme (who have lived in the UK, EU, EEA, Switzerland or Gibraltar continuously since September 2018)
- Applicants with indefinite leave to enter/remain in the UK (who have been resident in the UK continuously since September 2018)
EU/EEA citizens who live outside the UK are unlikely to be eligible for ‘Home’ fees and funding.
Additional information may be found on our fee status guidance webpage and on the GOV.UK website.
Continue with Facebook
