PhD: The evolution of caste plasticity and caste dimorphism in insect societies

We invite applications for a 3-year fully funded PhD position on the evolution sociality in insects (FWO-FAPESP project)

Specifically, the project will study the occurrence of social insect caste plasticity in function of reproductive role and the origin of queen-worker caste dimorphism across a range of primitively and advanced eusocial temperate and Neotropical ants, bees and wasps. Comparative genomics techniques, light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) brain imaging and behavioural experiments will be used to study shifting patterns in the evolution of behavioural plasticity in eusocial insects, including possible tissue trade-offs and changes in the modularity in brain gene expression patterns. In addition, we will investigate how the origin of queen-worker caste dimorphism was built on pre-existing gene regulatory networks in primitively eusocial ancestors. 

We are looking for a highly motivated candidate with an MSc degree (or equivalent) in Biology or a related field. The successful applicant should have a background in behavioural ecology or evolutionary biology, should be able to carry out both lab and field work, and should have a keen interest to learn techniques required for the execution of this project, including both brain imaging techniques & comparative genomics analyses. Prior experience in working with social insects and statistics are advantageous. The project forms part of a collaboration with Prof. Nascimento (USP-Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) and Prof. Oliveira (UAB Barcelona Spain). This implies that while much of the work will be carried out in Leuven, there will be the opportunity to also carry out field trips to Brazil and Spain.

We are a multidisciplinary lab (https://bio.kuleuven.be/eeb/tw/) working on questions related to social evolution and use social insects as our principal model system. The working language of the lab is English. KU Leuven is among one of the most prestigious universities in the world (48º in the ranking of THE 2019) and offers good employment conditions (https://www.kuleuven.be/personeel/jobsite/en). Leuven is a historic university city with a vibrant student life. Leuven is a 15-minute train ride away from Brussels International Airport and a 20-minutes train ride from Brussels itself (https://www.kuleuven.be/english/living).