Self-funded MSc R- The genetic basis of sporangium development in plants

Background:

Animal life cycles involve fertilization to produce diploid zygotes and meiosis to reduce chromosome numbers to the haploid quotient in sperm and eggs. In plants, meiosis occurs within specialized nutritive structures termed sporangia, resulting in the formation of dispersive spores. The genetic mechanisms regulating sporangium development are not well understood, partly because sporangia are embedded deep within floral tissues in the main plant genetic model, Arabidopsis. The most ancient land plants lacked flowers, instead making tiny stems with terminal sporangia, and living mosses show a similar pattern of development. This project aims to use a moss model to identify genes required for sporangium development.

The project will involve (1) bioinformatic and phylogenetic analyses to identify candidate regulators of sporangium development (2) reverse genetic analyses of sporangium development (3) a forward screen to identify mutants with defective sporangium development.

Training:

By combining computational and wet lab approaches, your project work will provide training at the cutting edge of the plant evolution and development fields. The skills and techniques you learn will be broadly applicable in the academic biology and biotech sectors and widely transferable amongst areas such as science policy and publishing.

Further information:

Please contact Dr Jill Harrison ([jill.harrison@bristol.ac.uk]) for further information.

MSc by Research 

MSc by Research (MSc R) is a 1-year research degree that provides an intensive lab-based training and a preparation for PhD study. You will carry out your studies as part of your research group – like a PhD student does. Towards the end of the year, you write up a thesis on your research and are examined on this. This degree suits students wanting to gain maximum research experience in preparation for PhD applications. 

We are keen to recruit a diverse range of students and to ensure our research is open to all. We particularly welcome applications from groups traditionally under-represented in life sciences research. Please check the University webpages for the current tuition fee information. Most MSc R projects also require a bench fee. This varies depending on the research and your project supervisor can tell you the bench fee for the project. 

How to apply 

Before applying, please read carefully the information on the prospectus Biological Sciences | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol and make sure you have all the documents listed in the Entry Requirements – Admissions Statement and English Language Requirements.  

To apply, follow the link Start your application | Study at Bristol | University of Bristol and select the programme “Biological Sciences (MSc R)”.

If you have questions about the project, please contact Dr Jill Harrison at jill.harrison@bristol.ac.uk

If you require assistance with your application, please email fls-pgenquiries@bristol.ac.uk