A postdoctoral position is available in the lab of Jesse R. Lasky (laskylab.org) in the Department of Biology at The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA. Lab goals are to understanding the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity.
In particular, the lab studies genetic and ecological mechanisms of local adaptation to environment. We are focusing on adaptation to climate and interactions between climate and biotic factors. We aim to understand the genetic basis of adaptation and the role of ecological and evolutionary dynamics in response to environmental change. Our approach is integrative and involves patterns and processes at molecular and ecological levels. Candidates with an integrative background and interest in quantitative approaches are sought. The primary study organisms are plants; currently including forest trees, Arabidopsis, and sorghum. Relevant recent publications include (full list: http://www.personal.psu.edu/jrl35/psu/pub.html) Lasky JR, Des Marais DL, McKay JK et al. (2012) Characterizing genomic variation of Arabidopsis thaliana: the roles of geography and climate. Molecular Ecology, 21, 5512–5529. Lasky JR, Des Marais DL, Lowry DB et al. (2014) Natural variation in abiotic stress responsive gene expression and local adaptation to climate in Arabidopsis thaliana. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 31, 2283–2296. Lasky JR, Uriarte M, Boukili V, Chazdon RL (2014) Trait-mediated assembly processes predict successional changes in community diversity of tropical forests. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111, 5616–5621. Verslues PE, Lasky JR, Juenger TE, Liu T-W, Kumar MN (2014) Genome-Wide Association Mapping Combined with Reverse Genetics Identifies New Effectors of Low Water Potential-Induced Proline Accumulation in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology, 164, 144–159. Lasky JR, Upadhyaya HD, Ramu P et al. (2015) Genome-environment associations in sorghum landraces predict adaptive traits. Science Advances, 1. Penn State University has research strengths in genomics (https://www.huck.psu.edu/content/people/area-of-interest/Bioinformatics%20and%20Genomics), plant biology (https://www.huck.psu.edu/content/people/area-of-interest/Plant%20Biology), infectious disease dynamics (http://cidd.psu.edu/), and ecology (https://www.huck.psu.edu/content/people/area-of-interest/Ecology) across departments and colleges. The postdoc will have freedom to develop new projects in the lab and to build collaborations with other labs. The ideal candidate will have expertise including population genetics, quantitative genetics, evolutionary ecology, genome-wide association studies, statistics, and computation (R, python, shell, HPC cluster). Experience in molecular genetics, host-parasite coevolution, ecophysiology and population and community ecology are also of interest. Excellent communication skills, including writing, are required, as is a strong publication record. The position requires a PhD and is initially funded for one year. Applications must be submitted electronically. A complete application will include a cover letter detailing experience and research interests, a current CV, and contact information for three professional references. The start date is flexible. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Apply here: https://psu.jobs/job/62448 CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: For more about safety at Penn State, and to review the Annual Security Report which contains information about crime statistics and other safety and security matters, please go to http://www.police.psu.edu/clery/, which will also provide you with detail on how to request a hard copy of the Annual Security Report. Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
