Prof A McGregor
No more applications being accepted
Competition Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Department of Biological and Medical Sciences
This is a competitive 3 year Full Time PhD project
Eligibility: Home UK/EU applicants only ---- (who must be permanently resident in UK/EU)
Start Date: September 2018
Value p.a.: Bursary of approximately £14500 for Academic Year 2018/19 & fees
Project Title
Size and shape matter: the genetic basis of divergence in male Drosophila genitalia.
Supervisor
Alistair McGregor, Daniela Nunes and Maike Kittelmann.
Background
One of the main goals of evolutionary biology is to identify the causative mutations underlying phenotypic diversification. Addressing this goal will give a better understanding of how gene regulatory networks and developmental programs evolve, and help to uncover the evolutionary forces involved. The genitalia of male Drosophila have diverged rapidly in morphology between closely related species presumably driven by sexual selection. However the genes underlying these changes have not yet been identified, which is exacerbated by a limited understanding of genital development compared to other tissues.
Aims
This project will combine developmental genetics, bioimaging and evolutionary approaches to better understand the genetic regulation and cell behaviour underlying genital development in Drosophila as well as testing candidate genes underlying diversification of these structures between species. This will provide new insights into developmental processes and the evolutionary diversification of organisms.
Training
Training will be provided at the nexus of wet-lab and computational biology: in genomic engineering using CRISPR/Cas9, molecular biology, Drosophila genetics, bioinformatics and bioimaging using the state-of-the-art facilities available in our department.
Key words
Genetics, Development, Evolution, CRISPR, Gene Regulation, Cell Biology.
For further details and informal enquiries please contact main supervisor:
Professor Alistair McGregor [Email Address Removed]
Eligibility: Only UK/EU nationals can apply (must be permanently resident in UK or EU)
How to apply.
Applications will only be accepted by email to the Research Administrator at the following address:
[Email Address Removed]
Please additionally submit a CV and if appropriate IELTS test score certificate.
If you have any queries please contact Dr Alistair McGregor direct on e-mail [Email Address Removed]
Funding Notes
EU Applicants:
Must provide IELTS certificate minimum score level 6 in each of the four areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking with overall minimum score 7.0 or undergraduate degree awarded by UK university within the last two years. IELTS certificate must not be older than two year.
Applicants require a good Honours degree level equivalent to a UK degree BSc (minimum 2.1 or higher).
To apply, please click 'Apply' button, which would download the application form. Please complete the form and email it to [Email Address Removed].
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