Oxford Brookes University
Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Department of Biological and Medical Sciences
3 three year full time studentship
Eligibility: Only UK/EU applicants can apply
Closing date for applications: 15th March 2015
Start Date: 14th September 2015
Value p.a.: Bursary of £14,057 for 2015/16 & fees
EU Applicants
Must provide IELTS certificate minimum score level 6 in each of the four areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking with overall minimum score 7.0 or undergraduate degree awarded by UK university within the last two years. IELTS certificate must not be older than two year.
Applicants require a good Honours degree level equivalent to a UK degree BSc (minimum 2.1 or higher).
Director of Studies Dr Alistair McGregor.
Second Supervisor Dr Maria Daniela Santos-Nunes.
Research Title: Investigating the contribution of genitalia divergence to reproductive isolation and speciation in Drosophila
Project
Male genitalia show rapid divergence among animals, but it is not clear why this is the case and whether or not it promotes population differentiation and species formation. In fruit flies, several genitalia structures have changed in morphology between Drosophila simulans and D. mauritiana that have diverged only 250,000 years ago. These changes have co-occurred with partial and asymmetrical sexual isolation between these species.
This project will use a combination of approaches such as molecular biology, behaviour experiments, microscopy techniques and molecular and population genetic analysis to investigate if genomic regions found to affect genitalia morphology also affect mating behaviour and reproductive fitness and to provide important insights into the history of genital evolution in fruit flies.
Nunes, M. D. S.
, OrozcoterWengel, P., Kreissl, M, Schlötterer, C. (2010) Multiple hybridization events between Drosophila simulans and Drosophila mauritiana are supported by mtDNA introgression. Molecular ecology 19 (21), 4695-4707
Nunes, M. D. S.
, Arif, S., Schlötterer, C. and McGregor, A. P. (2013). A Perspective on Micro-Evo-
Devo: Progress and Potential. Genetics 195, 625-634.
Tanaka, K. M., Hopfen, C., Herbert, M. R., Schlötterer, C., Stern, D. L., Masly, J. P., McGregor, A. P. and Nunes, M. D. S.
Characterisation of the genetic architecture underlying the rapid diversification of male external genitalia between Drosophila simulans and D. mauritiana. Submitted to Genetics .
As part of the studentship, any successful applicant will be required to undertake up to 6 hours undergraduate teaching per week during semesters without further remuneration. This may include supporting the teaching of statistics. You will also be expected to participate in a course to develop your teaching skills.
How to apply.
Please download application form- http://www.hls.brookes.ac.uk/images/research/phd-studentship-application-form-jan-14.doc
Applications will only be accepted by email to the Research Administrator at the following address: hlsapplications@brookes.ac.uk
Please additionally submit a CV and if appropriate IELTS test score certificate