Hi all,

see information below for a very exciting Phd possibility in Ilkka Kronholm’s group in Jyväskylä!

Heikki

From: Kronholm, Ilkka <ilkka.kronholm@jyu.fi>
Sent: torstai 2. joulukuuta 2021 18.20

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Department of Biological and Environmental Science at the University of Jyväskylä, has a call open to recruit 3 students into doctoral program of the department. The position is for 4 years, starting from August 2022. The annual salary for a Doctoral Researcher will be approximately 28 000 EUR (gross income, including holiday bonus).

The application to the doctoral programme is a two stage process. There are several projects available, including mine (see description below), not all of them are related to evolutionary biology. In the first round the applicant selects a project (only one) that they are interested in. The deadline for the first round is January 14th 2022. Apply using the electronic application form found here:
https://tinyurl.com/5999y729

After the application deadline, the main supervisor of each project will select one best candidate for their project. These top candidates will be asked to write a 2-page long research plan on the thesis topic and will be interviewed by a committee of the doctoral program. Decision on the positions will be made by March 31, 2022.

More information can be found at:
https://tinyurl.com/bdfappn4
Please read it carefully.

The candidate is expected to have, or is about to obtain, a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline.

I know the application process to the doctoral school is laborious, but please consider applying if you are interested in the project.

About my group:
My group studies evolutionary genetics focusing on adaptation and mutation. Projects going on in the lab include the role of epigenetic changes in adaptation, mutations and their effects, parental effects (in fungi) and their role in adaptation, quantitative genetics of thermal performance, and adaptation in fluctuating environments. We use mainly fungal experimental systems: the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa, and fission yeast. Fungi are very good genetic model systems, and with fission yeast it is possible to do experimental evolution. Sometimes we also use computer simulations to investigate how evolution works. Otherwise we use the methods and theory of population and quantitative genetics.

More information about the lab can be found at: ikronholm.net

The project:
Traditionally population genetics has been concerned only with DNA sequence changes. However, in recent years it has been revealed that certain epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, can be transmitted from one generation to the next in some contexts, particularly in plants. The aim of this project is to develop population genetic methods for the analysis of methylation variation data. In particular, the goal is to compare different methods of calculating divergence in methylation patterns and examine how to use methylation information in population genetic analyses. Second goal is to investigate the patterns of DNA methylation variation in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa that is being collected in our group, and to test hypotheses of about the role of methylation variation in publicly available data from plants. There is also some room to tailor the project according to interests of the candidate. For example looking at different aspects Neurospora population genetics such as recombination, natural selection, particularly for structural variants. The project will be mostly computational in nature, and a successful candidate should have a strong interest in population genetics and evolutionary biology. A background in evolutionary biology, population genetics, bioinformatics or a related discipline is an advantage, as are some programming skills such as R or python, and familiarity with unix/linux. Previous experience with fungi is not required.

About Jyväskylä and Finland:
Finland has a high standard of living, with free schooling (also in English), affordable childcare, good family benefits, and healthcare. Jyväskylä is located in central Finland in the Finnish lakeland, and has excellent opportunities for different nature, outdoor, and sports activities. The city of Jyväskylä is a major educational center and the city has a large student population. As such there is a vibrant cultural scene in the city.

To find useful information about the University of Jyväskylä, the City of Jyväskylä and living in Finland, see the international staff guide: https://www.jyu.fi/en/workwithus/international-staff-guide

For further details or any questions, please contact:
Ilkka Kronholm
Academy Research Fellow
Biological and Environmental Science
University of Jyväskylä, Finland
ilkka.kronholm@jyu.fi
@kronholmlab

Kind regards,
Ilkka Kronholm