Thesis paleo-genomics and -ecology
Research project: “Arctic plant & boreal tree paleo-genomics and -ecology" (GlacialLegacy)
It is important to understand how arctic plants and boreal trees will respond to a warming climate. Therefore, the study of genetic adaptation mechanisms as well as the past vegetation dynamics might contribute to predict their response to a changing climate in the future. The alternation of contraction and expansion of plants due to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is likely to have left a mark on the plant genome. This hypothesis leads to our research questions: 1. How Siberian plants adapted to dry and cold conditions across the LGM? 2. Are there adaptive variation acquired during LGM which might provide advantages in the current environmental changes? 3. Is it possible to study past vegetation dynamics and genome diversity using the hybridization capture method applied on sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA)?
In order to explore our research questions, we want to establish a targeted hybridization capture approach to enrich sedaDNA sequences of interest from lake sediment cores retrieved from strategic locations which cover the time lapse across the LGM. The hybridization capture method will be designed for targeting the chloroplast genomes of the most common Siberian plants in order to investigate on past population dynamics, chloroplast genome diversity, locations of glacial refugia and the direction of postglacial migrations.
Tasks
Bioinformatics: Chloroplast genome de novo assembly, primer designLab work: Long-range PCR, gel electrophoresis
Requirements
- We are looking for enthusiastic young researchers, who enjoy working in a team and have good communication skills.
- Interest in learning bioinformatic tools for de novo assembly and primer design. Interest in learning basic genetics laboratory techniques.
- Basic knowledge of genetics and molecular biology
zur Vakanz
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