Scholarships at Bangor University
The School of Biological Sciences
The School of Biological Sciences has two anniversary PhD studentships which will be offered to the best candidates for any two of the following projects:
Genomes, development and the evolution of animal form
Supervisor: Dr John Mulley
Project Description
In the past 25 years, there have been astounding advances in our understanding
of the genes involved in developmental processes across the animal kingdom.
In many cases, the functions of these genes are conserved over vast
evolutionary distances and are therefore likely to reflect an ancient
function in the ancestor of all complex animals. This finding has been
at the heart of the field of evolutionary developmental biology (“Evo-Devo”)
since its earliest days in the 1980’s. More recently however, attention
has turned away from studies of laboratory-derived variation towards
the effects of the environment on animal development and evolutionary
adaptation. This has resulted in the creation of a new field of research,
working towards a unification of natural selection, ecological genetics,
evolutionary biology and developmental biology – “Eco-Devo”.
The PhD student will be able to develop a research project in this field,
incorporating elements of genome biology, evolutionary biology and development.
Further details can be obtained by contacting Dr John Mulley (j.mulley@bangor.ac.uk). See here for terms and conditions of the studentship.
The molecular microbiology of organic matter decomposition in anoxic environments
Supervisor: Dr James McDonald
Project Description
The microbial degradation of carbon polysaccharides is a key process
in the global carbon cycle, yet staggeringly, the identity and functional
gene pool of the microbial assemblages responsible for this process
in anoxic environments is barely known. This project will utilise molecular
biological techniques (including metagenomics/pyrosequencing) to determine
the diversity of saccharolytic microbial communities and their enzyme
systems in anoxic soils, and the sediments of freshwater and marine
environments.
Relevant publications:
McDonald, J. E., Lockhart, R. J., Cox, M. J., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy,
A. J. Detection of novel Fibrobacter populations in landfill sites and
determination of their relative abundance via quantitative PCR. Environmental
Microbiology 10, 1310-1319, (2008).
McDonald, J. E., de Menezes, A. B., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy, A.
J. Molecular Biological Detection and Quantification of Novel Fibrobacter
Populations in Freshwater Lakes. Applied and Environmental Microbiology
75, 5148-5152, (2009).
McDonald, J. E., Allison, H. E. & McCarthy, A. J. Composition of the landfill microbial community determined by application of domain and group-specific 16S and 18S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. doi:10.1128/AEM.01783-09 (2010).
Further details can be obtained by contacting Dr James McDonald (j.mcdonald@bangor.ac.uk).
See here
for terms and conditions of the studentship.
Genetics of neural circuit development
Supervisor: Prof. David Shepherd
Project Description
The complexity of the vertebrate brain and the arduous genetic manipulations
of vertebrates do not readily allow the identification of the molecular
and genetic mechanisms that underlie the differentiation of different
classes of neurons such as interneuron versus motor neuron and their
assembly into functional neuronal circuits. To identify these mechanisms
it is advantageous to use simpler model systems in which the different
neurons are known and can be studied individually in the living animal
with single-cell resolution. Such a model system is the embryonic nervous
system of Drosophila in which the origins and development of all functioning
neurons have been described. The Drosophila embryonic nervous system
is a proven model for the discovery of the general principles controlling:
the production and specification of neurons axonal growth, synaptogenesis
and the formation of neuronal circuits. The aim of our project is to
build on these foundations to use single cell transcriptomics of developing
Drosophila neurons to identify genes that control the differentiation
of different neuron types. From this work we can begin the process of
identifying the genetic mechanisms that underlie an essential part of
building the circuitry that controls larval behaviour.
Further details can be obtained by contacting Professor David Shepherd (d.shepherd@bangor.ac.uk). See here for terms and conditions of the studentship.
Anniversary Scholarships Application Procedure
The application deadline is 15 March, 2010 and we expect to inform applicants of the outcome of their applications by early April.
To apply, please complete an on-line University
Postgraduate Application Form available here.
You should include the following with your application form:
- a curriculum vitae (including the name and contact details of TWO referees);
- a covering letter.
* YOU MUST MAKE CLEAR that
you are applying for a Bangor University Anniversary Scholarship by
writing 'ANNIVERSARY SCHOLARSHIP' then THE PROJECT
TITLE in answer to Question 3, under Check list Item 5 'Are you applying
for a Bangor University advertised research project / studentship? If
so, please write the full project title here:'
General Application Enquiries should be directed to:
Dr Michelle Jones
College of Natural Sciences
Bangor University
Tel: 01248 383738
E-mail: michelle.jones@bangor.ac.uk
