*Open PhD position for Chinese candidates* Wolinska´s Lab is seeking an outstanding PhD Candidate for applying to a PhD program at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) located in Berlin, Germany (affiliated with the Free University Berlin).
*The candidate will apply for a PhD stipend with China Scholarship Council. *The *application deadline* (i.e. first step) is *04.01.2017*. For more information about the FUB-CSC funding program, please check: http://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/china/foerdermoeglichkeiten/fuer_chinesen/csc/ For application procedure, please check: http://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/china/foerdermoeglichkeiten/fuer_chinesen/csc/PhD_Offer_2017/index.html *PhD Project description* http://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/china/foerdermoeglichkeiten/fuer_chinesen/csc/PhD-Positions-2017/PhD-Wolinska-Evolutionary-Ecology.pdf <http://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/china/foerdermoeglichkeiten/fuer_chinesen/csc/PhD-Positions-2017/PhD-Wolinska-Evolutionary-Ecology.pdf> *Project title*: Role of parasitic chytrids in regulating cyanobacterial blooms *Project description*: Parasitic fungi of the order Chytridiales (i.e. Chytrids) are able to infect a wide number of phytoplankton species. Although overlooked for a long time, chytrids are an important factor driving the dynamics of phytoplankton. For example, Chytrids seem to be involved in the decline of toxic cyanobacteria blooms, by inducing direct mortality of parasitized cells and indirectly by the mechanistic fragmentation which weakens the resistance to grazing. On the other hand, selection on host populations exerted by Chytrids is also thought to be responsible for maintaining high host diversity in nature. The candidate will use a novel host-parasite system (based on a cyanobacterial host and its chytrid parasite) for advancing in the field of parasitism in phytoplankton. The scope of the project will address different questions related to the physiology, molecular genetics and genomics (including next-generation-sequencing) of the interactions and their ecological and evolutionary implications. *Language requirements*: excellent English skills (fluent conversation and good writing skills) *Academic requirements*: Master degree in biology or bioinformatics. Solid background in ecology, evolution and/or molecular biology. *Information about Wolinska's lab*: We are a group of evolutionary ecologists who study how rapid evolutionary changes are being influenced by environmental challenges. We have a long-standing experience working with the Cladoceran model system: Daphnia and its microparasites. Recently, we also employ a Cyanobacteria-Chytrid system to explore a number of ecological and evolutionary questions. http://www.igb-berlin.de/en/profile/justyna-wolinska-0 http://www.igb-berlin.de/en/disease-evolutionary-ecology <http://www.igb-berlin.de/en/profile/justyna-wolinska-0> -- Ramsy Agha PhD Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) Department II (Ecosystem Research) Mueggelseedamm 301 12587 Berlin, Germany
