PhD project opportunities on Tasmanian devils and their contagious cancer School of Zoology, University of Tasmania
The project: Are Tasmanian devils adapting to changing selection pressures with severe mortality from facial tumour disease? Tasmanian devils, the world's largest marsupial carnivore, are disappearing in the wild from a novel contagious cancer. Almost all animals contract the disease and die once they reach sexual maturity. Strong selection is expected on life history and behavioural traits that may increase lifetime reproductive output of individuals. We have demonstrated that devils show phenotypic plasticity in their life history in response to this strong selection, with increased food allowing faster growth rates and an increase in precocial breeding. This study will use genomic sequencing to construct pedigrees of devils at sites where we have studied populations from before disease arrival. We will investigate changes in selection on life history and behavioural traits and examine explore whether there are changes occurring at a genetic level. It will be cosupervised by Dr Chris Burridge. What kind of person could do this project? This is a laboratory and computer-based genetics study with a strong bioinformatics/analytical component. There will be some opportunity to visit field sites and participate in trapping wild devils. Project funding: This project has part-funding under of an ARC project "Can Tasmanian devils adapt and survive" by Menna Jones. Scholarships: Domestic students (Australia and New Zealand) can apply for an Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) through the University of Tasmania worth $24,653, with merit-based schemes available for top-ups. International students: UTAS offers a number of schemes by which international students can obtain a scholarship; some offer assistance with tuition fees. Prospective candidates are also encouraged to seek scholarship schemes from their own country. When to apply: Scholarship applications can be submitted any time of year. The outcome of applications is usually known within 6 weeks and commencement can start immediately following acceptance. UTAS provides a free laptop to all PhD students and funding schemes for international conference attendance during the PhD. More information: http://www.utas.edu.au/zoology/ Contact: Dr Menna Jones Email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Phone: +61 407 815606 ======================================= Dr Menna Jones | ARC Future Fellow School of Zoology University of Tasmania Private Bag 5, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia Email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Ph: +61 407 815606 | Fax: +61 3 62262745 Web: http://fcms.its.utas.edu.au/scieng/zoo/pagedetails.asp?lpersonId=1321 =======================================
