Two open positions for PhD Students (Research and Teaching Assistantships) in Drosophila Population  Genomics

Location:

Department of Biology
Marsh Life Science 
109 Carrigan Drive
Burlington, Vermont 05405

https://www.uvm.edu/cas/biology

 

Contact:

Prof. Joaquin Nunez

Email: Joaquin.Nunez@uvm.edu

 

Deadline:

Please visit: https://www.uvm.edu/graduate/programs/degrees_and_deadlines_apply

See the posted deadline for Biology (PhD)

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Description:

The Nunez Lab at the University of Vermont invites applicants for two research projects on Drosophila population genomics. Interested applicants may apply for either one or both opportunities.

 

• Project 1: Population genomics of adaptive tracking and overwintering in a globally invasive insect. The student will conduct fieldwork, molecular work, and computational analysis to identify the genetic basis of rapid seasonal evolution in Drosophila suzukii. This NSF-funded project also includes collaborations with the University of Kentucky (Prof. Nick Teets) and Northeastern University (Prof. Katie Lotterhos) to conduct ecological physiology and evolutionary modeling of seasonal evolution. International collaborations with the European Drosophila Population Genomics Consortium (DrosEU; https://droseu.net/) are also possible.

 

• Project 2: Population genetics and neurobiology of winter-feeding phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster. The student will conduct molecular and computational analyses to investigate the genetic and neurological basis of how flies make nutritional decisions during the winter months. The student will also explore the role of chromosomal inversions and supergenes in winter-feeding phenotypes. In addition, the student will participate in the continued development of the Drosophila Evolution Over Space and Time (https://dest.bio/) dataset. This project includes collaborations with Prof. Molly Stanley and with members of DrosEU.

 

Qualifications:

Qualified candidates should hold, at minimum, a bachelor’s degree in biology, ecology, evolution, zoology, computational biology, entomology, or a related field. Preference will be given to students with previous research experience (i.e., a master’s degree or undergraduate research).

 

Start Date and Support:

The successful applicant will start in the Fall 2025 academic term. Learn more here: https://www.uvm.edu/cas/biology/application-finances-and-support. In the Department of Biology, students thrive in an atmosphere that supports deep exploration and collaboration. Biology at UVM has a long record of excellence, now over a century old, in life science, with current emphasis on a wide range of topics including neuroscience, cell biology, ecology, and evolution.

 

Interested? Please visit https://www.jcbnunez.org/opportunities to schedule an interview with Prof. Nunez