PhD position: Identifying recent episodes of adaptation in humans by genome and epigenome editing (f/m/d)

24 May 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

PhD Programme "Gene Regulation in Evolution"

Department

Institute of Molecular Biology

Research Field

Biological sciences

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Germany

Application Deadline

15 Jul 2024 - 12:00 (Europe/Berlin)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Thinking of doing a PhD at the interface of Molecular & Evolutionary Biology?

The Research Training Group 2526 "Gene Regulation in Evolution“ (GenEvo) , which is funded by the DFG (German Research Foundation), is offering projects on all levels of organismic complexity, from changes in genes and proteins to the evolution of symbiotic and parasitic behavior. As a GenEvo PhD student, you will join a community of passionate scientists who are applying a broad spectrum of methods on model and non-model organisms.

PhD project:

In the PhD Programme “Gene Regulation in Evolution”, Joachim Burger, Joan Barau, and René Ketting offer the following PhD project: Identifying recent episodes of adaptation in humans by genome and epigenome editing

Background:

The history of Europeans in the last millennia has brought several significant changes in environmental conditions. The most significant is the transition from a hunter-gatherer subsistence to a sedentary farming lifestyle. Subsequently, there have been other incursions, primarily the spread of zoonotic and new infectious diseases.

Epigenetic markers associated with gene regulation are suspected to respond more rapidly to new selection pressures than genetic mutations (e.g. Raj et al. 2013). Although their function is not always fully understood, their association with genes and pathways may serve as a starting point to identify genomic regions and traits that have played adaptive roles in human populations in a short period of time.

In a previous project we have identified differentially methylated regions and associated genetic variants in genomes of humans with different life-styles. We suspect that they have been positively selected in recent time periods and now want to shed light on their functional background. 

PhD project description:

Exploring recent human selection is an exciting area of study. This PhD project seeks to determine whether significant selective processes have occurred in humans over the last millennia, and which genes and markers are involved. Genetic mutations tend to establish slowly in human populations, even if advantageous, whereas epigenetic variants may spread more quickly. We have pinpointed several hundred potential epigenetic variants. The goal of this PhD research is to uncover their functions and assess their evolutionary advantages in different human groups. The candidate will use CRISPR-Cas genome and epigenome editing to modify human cell lines in the lab, recapitulating patterns of association between genetic and epigenetic variants. These will be analyzed based on their effects on genome regulation and gene expression. Thus, most of the research will be lab-based, involving cell culture work, genome and epigenome editing, and expression analysis. Subsequent genomic and epigenomic data evaluation and related analyses will be conducted in collaboration with a bioinformatics team.

What we offer:

• Exciting, interdisciplinary projects in a vividly international environment, with English as our working language
• Advanced training in scientific techniques and professional skills
• Access to state-of-the-art Core Facilities and their technical expertise
• 14 funded PhD positions (employment contract)
• A lively community of34 PhD students supported by 28 Principal Investigators
• Collaboration with the International PhD Programme (IPP) at IMB with more than 200 PhD students from 40 different countries

Within the programme the Faculty of Biology of Mainz University (JGU) and the Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) collaborate — both modern research institutions located on the bustling campus of Mainz University in Germany. With a population of 210,000, of which about 40,000 are students, the city of Mainz is charming and open-minded and within easy reach of cosmopolitan Frankfurt and its international airport, the Rhine valley region with its castles, vineyards, and nature reserves, and the equally picturesque cities of Wiesbaden and Heidelberg.

Requirements:

Are you an ambitious, young scientist looking to push the boundaries of research while interacting with colleagues from multiple disciplines and cultures? Then joining GenEvo is your opportunity to give your scientific career a flying start!

All you need is:

• Master or equivalent
• Motivation to contribute to the forefront of science in molecular and evolutionary biology
• Interactive personality & good command of English
• 2 letters of reference

The deadline for applications is 15 July 2024. Interviews will take place on 9-10 September 2024. Starting date will be 1 January 2025.

For more details on the projects offered and how to apply via our online form, please visit https://www.genevo-rtg.de/application

Requirements

Research Field

Biological sciences

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Languages

ENGLISH

Level

Good

Research Field

Biological sciences

Additional Information

Website for additional job details

https://www.genevo-rtg.de/application

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

PhD Programme "Gene Regulation in Evolution"

Country

Germany

City

Mainz

Postal Code

55128

Street

Ackermannweg 4

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.genevo-rtg.de/application

Contact

City

Mainz

Website

https://www.genevo-rtg.de/

Street

Ackermannweg 4

Postal Code

55128

E-Mail

[email protected]

STATUS: EXPIRED