Title of project: Evolution of sex differences in life histories despite a shared genome
I am seeking a highly motivated postdoc to join the Bolund lab at the Dept. of Ecology and Genetics, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Sweden. The project is funded by the Carl Tryggers Foundation and the Swedish Research Council, VR.
Project:
Females and males often have different phenotypic optima for important life history traits, but their shared genome causes conflict. Such sexual conflict is a dominating theme in evolutionary studies. Different selection pressures in the two sexes can decouple the genetic basis of the trait, allowing the resolution of conflict through sexual dimorphism. However, traits are seldom independent and covariances between traits can strongly influence evolutionary trajectories.
This project aims to understand how the strength of intra-locus sexual conflict over multiple life history traits constrains or facilitates the evolution of sexual dimorphism. You will use the nematode Caenorhabditis remanei, a powerful model system, and study lines that have been subjected to experimental evolution under increased/decreased sexual conflict. Within this framework, there are several possible lines of enquiry to pursue depending on the interests and background of the successful candidate. These include the study of:
-The evolution of genetic variances and covariances (represented statistically by the G matrix) within males (GM), within females (GF) and between traits between the sexes (B and its transpose BT). The stability of G and B over evolutionary time remains an open question. Estimations of GF, GM and B and their stability over time is essential to our understanding of both long-term constraints on the independent evolution of the sexes and of how different populations are expected to evolve under sex-specific selection.
-The relative importance of pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection on the evolutionary dynamics of sexual conflict.
You will join the lab of Dr. Elisabeth Bolund, and be part of the well-equipped nematode lab, led by two PI-s (Dr. Bolund and Dr. Lind). In the Bolund lab, we are interested in the evolutionary dynamics of life histories, sexual dimorphism and sexual conflict, using nematodes and humans as model organisms. Within the lab, we encourage a dynamic collaborative atmosphere.
Qualifications:
The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology, ecology, genetics, or a related field. A background in or experience of some of the following areas is desirable: evolutionary biology, life history evolution, sexual conflict/sexual selection, quantitative genetics, statistics (experience in Bayesian analyses is a plus), basic R programming, and the running of large-scale lab experiments (with nematodes or other species). Further, good team work and communication skills are valued.
The environment
EBC hosts one of the largest aggregations of evolutionary biologists in the world and Uppsala University was recently ranked 7th in the world in evolutionary biology (CWUR 2017). The Department of Ecology and Genetics is a highly international working environment and our research spans the scope from evolutionary ecology and genetics to studies of ecosystems. A number of high-profile projects address natural and sexual selection, local adaptation, speciation, molecular evolution, microbial diversity, and ecosystem processes. For more information, see ieg.uu.se. Uppsala University is the oldest university in Scandinavia and the city of Uppsala is a vibrant college town with beautiful surroundings conveniently situated 40 minutes by train from Stockholm.
Position:
The postdoc is funded by a tax-free 2-year scholarship from the Carl Tryggers Foundation, amounting to 23,000 SEK per month. It is a requirement from the funding agency that you are an incoming postdoc (in other words that your Ph.D. is not from Uppsala University).
How to apply:
Application deadline: January 31, 2018.
Submit an e-mail to elisabeth.bolund@ebc.uu.se with the subject heading 'POST-DOC APPLICATION', with the following documents combined into ONE pdf file:
- A cover letter describing your research interests and suitability for the position
- A detailed CV including a publication list and other achievements
- Contact details of two to three references who can be contacted by telephone or
e-mail before or after the interview.
Prospective candidates will be invited for interviews in person or by Skype in February 2018.
Informal inquiries can be directed to elisabeth.bolund@ebc.uu.se
Lab home page: http://bolund.wix.com/homepage
I am looking forward to your application!
