From: bco-bounces@lists.oulu.fi [mailto:bco-bounces@lists.oulu.fi] On Behalf Of anita.tienhaara@helsinki.fi
Sent: 21. tammikuuta 2010 9:53
To: FinBioNet
Subject: [Bco] PhD student / post doc position in bioinformatics, University of Helsinki

PhD student / post doc position in bioinformatics, related to molecular identification (barcoding)

We are seeking outstanding candidates to join the Mathematical Biology Group (part of Metapopulation Research Group, see http://www.helsinki.fi/science/metapop/MBG/index.htm).

The level of the project can be adjusted from PhD to a post doc project depending on the skills and experience of the applicant.

The Mathematical Biology Group mainly consists of researchers with background in mathematics (or related fields), and is specialized in working at the interface between data and theory. One of our strong points is the development and application of hierarchical Bayesian models. We are now seeking a bioinformatician to work on molecular identification (i.e., barcoding) with sequence data arising from environmental samples. In our earlier work (Ovaskainen et al., in press) we have developed statistical methods that translate measures of sequence similarity to the probability of the species identifications being correct. The aim of this project is to further develop, validate, and apply bioinformatics tools for molecular identification.

In terms of applications, the project deals with metacommunity dynamics of wood- decaying fungi. We model the population dynamics of this species group by combining different types of data. The molecular data come from 454-sequencing of environmental samples (soil, saw-dust drilled from dead logs, spores sampled from air using cyclone sampler, etc.). The molecular identifications are based on an extensive reference database that we have acquired (and are further extending) in a Nordic collaborative project.

Please send your application to prof. Otso Ovaskainen by email (otso.ovaskainen@helsinki.fi) by 19 February 2010.

Starting date flexible, but preferably during March-May 2010. Include a cover letter explaining your background and research interests, a CV (with possible publications included), and contact details of two referees. Further information can be obtained from Otso Ovaskainen.

Reference (preprint available by request from O. Ovaskainen):

Ovaskainen, O., Nokso-Koivisto, J., Hottola, J., Rajala, T., Pennanen, T., Ali-Kovero, H., Miettinen, O., Oinonen, P., Auvinen, P., Paulin, L., Larsson, K.-H. and Mäkipää, R. Identifying wood-inhabiting fungi with 454 sequencing - what is the probability that BLAST gives the correct species? Fungal Ecology, in press.

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Anita Tienhaara

Institute of Biotechnology

P.O. Box 56

FIN-00014 University of Helsinki, finland

tel. +358 9 191 59656

fax +358 9 191 59550

anita.tienhaara@helsinki.fi