Sexual detection: mechanisms underlying adaptive reproductive plasticity (CHAPMANU18DTP)

The PhD project offers a unique training opportunity to understand how individuals respond to their social and sexual environment. The student will gain research skills in cutting-edge genetic, genomic manipulations, bioinformatics and cellular microscopy. They will receive excellent training and career development from the thriving Norwich Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership and from the collaboration with Professor Clive Wilson at the University of Oxford.

An important part of being successful and competitive is to respond to the rapidly changing environments in which we often find ourselves. A familiar example is ‘speech accommodation’, where individuals, often unintentionally, adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around them. Fruitfly males have adopted this principle and are able to show highly precise responses to their social and sexual environment. Following detection of conspecific rivals, males transfer more ejaculate proteins to females and sire more offspring. They are even able to alter the composition of the ejaculate that they transfer. Males can switch their ‘rivals responses’ on and off with great accuracy and speed.

The overarching aim is to find out how males can do this. Our recent studies support the hypothesis that males can potentially use different mechanisms, to turn genes on / off, remove inhibitors of gene expression and change the way that ejaculate proteins are made and expelled. The student will test this and determine the temporal sequence of events. They will use phenotypic profiling to assess the effect of genetic manipulations of accessory glands, measure changes to gene and non-coding RNA expression using bioinformatics, and profile structural and signaling changes using high resolution microscopy.

This project has been shortlisted for funding by the Norwich Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NRPDTP). Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed as part of the studentship competition. Candidates will be interviewed on either the 9th, 10th or 11th January 2018.
The Norwich Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NRPDTP) offers postgraduates the opportunity to undertake a 4 year research project whilst enhancing professional development and research skills through a comprehensive training programme. You will join a vibrant community of world-leading researchers. All NRPDTP students undertake a three month professional internship (PIPS) during their study. The internship offers exciting and invaluable work experience designed to enhance professional development. Full support and advice will be provided by our Professional Internship team. For further information and to apply, please visit our website: www.biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk

For more information on the supervisor for this project, please go here: https://www.uea.ac.uk/biological-sciences/people/profile/tracey-chapman
Type of programme: PhD
Start date of the project: 1st October 2018
Mode of study: Full time
Length of studentship: 4 years

Students with, or expecting to attain, at least an upper second class honours degree, or equivalent, are invited to apply.