From molecules to populations: the genomic legacy of historic pollution on freshwater fish

Dr. K.R. Elmer, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow,
Dr. W. Yeomans, Clyde River Foundation,
Dr. S. Lofts, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (Lancaster), Natural Environment Research Council

About This PhD Project

Project Description
Funding Notes
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Project Description

Anthropogenic pollution is a critical global challenge to biodiversity. The UK was once one of the world’s industrial powerhouses. An unfortunate legacy of this success is a landscape of hot-spot high pollution sites. These contaminants have organismal effects across scales: from nucleotides in the genome, to individual fitness, to the demography of populations. These effects can be proximate, such as DNA methylation altering gene expression, morphological development, and behaviour. The effects can also be evolutionary, via molecular adaptation to contaminants that enables organisms to persist in polluted environments. The genomic effect of complex environmental contamination in natural vertebrate populations is currently a major knowledge gap.

Brown trout is a sentinel of environmental quality for riverbeds, sediments, and water and, coupled with advances in genomic resources for this species, a powerful biological model for this research.

Understanding the complex and dynamic interplay between genetics, epigenetics, and environment is tremendously important for predicting, diagnosing, and remedying the effects of pollution on wildlife.

This multidisciplinary project will provide new advance by identifying the genomic and epigenomic effects of heavy metal and urban run-off pollution on native trout using a combination of natural population, molecular, and experimental approaches. This project brings together university and government researchers and applied conservation management.

For more details see:
http://www.iapetus.ac.uk/iap2-18-05-from-molecules-to-populations-the-genomic-legacy-of-historic-pollution-on-freshwater-fish/
and
http://elmerlab.blogspot.com

Eligibility
All applicants need to meet NERC’s eligibility criteria to be considered for an IAPETUS studentship and these are detailed in NERC’s current studentship handbook.

IAPETUS is only able to consider applications from Home/European Union candidates. International candidates are not eligible to be considered and where an candidate from another EU country has not been resident in the UK for 3 years or more prior to the commencement of their studies with IAPETUS, they will only be eligible for a fees-only studentship.

IAPETUS is looking for candidates with the following qualities and backgrounds:

A first or 2:1 undergraduate degree, or have relevant comparable experience;
In addition, candidates may also hold or be completing a Masters degree in their area of proposed study or a related discipline; &
An outstanding academic pedigree and research potential, such as evidenced through the publication of articles, participation in academic conferences and other similar activities.


Funding Notes
IAPETUS’ postgraduate studentships are tenable for between 3 and 4 years, depending on the doctoral research project the student is studying and provides the following package of financial support:

A tax-free maintenance grant set at the UK Research Council’s national rate, which in 2019/20 is £14,999 (pending confirmation).
Full payment of their tuition fees at the Home/EU rate; &
Access to extensive research support funding.
Part-time award-holders are funded for between six (6) and eight (8) years and receive a maintenance grant at 50% of the full-time rate.

Application Process

Prospective students must apply to the University of Glasgow College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences Graduate School via the postgraduate student applications system.
Deadline: Friday 18th January 2019 at 4 pm (GMT).

In the application, students need to specify clearly that they wish to be considered for an IAPETUS2 studentship and state the research project (s) that they wish to be considered for,

Prospective students must provide/attach the following documentation/information to their application:
a) Current CV.
b) A cover letter written by the prospective student, no greater than 2 sides in length, detailing their reasons for applying and why they have selected the project that they wish to conduct.
c) Two (or more) references, avoiding any references from any members of the supervisory team that are part of the research project that they wish to conduct.
d) Full transcripts of previous qualifications obtained to date.

The successful applicant will proceed to an interview at the IAPETUS2 Studentships Panel, which will meet on Wednesday 20th February 2019.

Informal inquiries in advance to Kathryn Elmer are encouraged.

Related subjects:
Ecotoxicology
Evolution
Genomics and epigenomics
Freshwater fish
Development