The University of Zurich in Switzerland has recently decided to fund a research priority program on “Evolution in Action: From Genomes to Ecosystems“. For the initial four year period (2013-2016) at least 11 PhD studentships will be available in the following 6 collaborative research projects:
Project 1: Conservation Genomics: from Functional Variation to Population Dynamics.
Principal Investigators: Lukas Keller and Andreas Wagner, Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies
Project 2: Evolution in Action: Environment, Agriculture, and Human Diseases.
Principal Investigators: Kentaro Shimizu, Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Frank Ruehli (Centre for Evolutionary Medicine), Michael Kruetzen (Anthropological Institute and Museum), Beat Keller (Institute of Plant Biology), Thomas Wicker (Institute of Plant Biology), Ralph Schlapbach (Functional Genomics Center Zurich), Andreas Wagner (Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies), Wolf Blanckenhorn (Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies), Barbara Tschirren (Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies), Barbara Koenig (Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies)…..[ communicated to GNOBB admin by Dr. Abidur Rahman.]
Project 3: Investigating the Importance of Epigenetics in Adaptation and Coevolution.
Principal Investigators: Ueli Grossniklaus (Institute of Plant Biology), Florian Schiestl (Institute of Systematic Botany), Owen Petchey (Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies), and Bernhard Schmid (Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies)
Project 4: Microevolution of Signaling Pathways relevant for Human Diseases
Principal Investigators: Alex Hajnal, Konrad Basler, Ernst Hafen, and Michael Hengartner (all Institutes of Molecular Life Sciences)
Project 5: The Evolution of Language: an Integrative Approach
Principal Investigators: Marta Manser (Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental
Studies), Carel van Schaik (Anthropological Institute and Museum), Balthasar Bickel (Department of General Linguistics)
Project 6: Genomic Correlates of Microbial Coevolution
Principal Investigators: Christian von Mering (Institute of Molecular Life Sciences), Jakob Pernthaler, and Leo Eberl (both Institutes of Plant Biology)
Although some of these positions will be advertised separately, a good way to apply for them is through the PhD Program in Evolutionary Biology at the University of Zurich (http://www.evobio.uzh.ch/index.html). Applications should be submitted through the Life Science Zurich Graduate School (http://www.lifescience-graduateschool.ch/). Note that the next deadline is approaching very fast (July 1st, 2012).
Independent, creative and highly motivated students with an interest in evolutionary biology are highly encouraged to apply.