PPost-doc in morphometric analysis in phenotypic evolution and embryonic
development:
1.Job/ project description:
The postdoc projects consists in analyzing morphological variation within
populations and species to test several predictions from theoretical evolution
and development (evo-devo) studies. This will include actual specimens (from
different species) and virtual ones coming from mathematical models of
embryonic development and evolution in populations. Some of these comparisons
will require helping in the development of new morphometric methods. Some basic
understanding of evolution and development is highly recommended since the
project revolves about testing some evo-devo theories with empirical data on
morphological variation and its morphometric analysis. No actual mathematical
models of embryonic development would need to be developed since these are
already done (most of my group is composed of theoretical developmental
evolutionary biologists working on mathematical models). The applicant,
however, should have the capacity to think in abstract ways and be able to
program. The specimens analyzed belong to different animal groups.
The research will take place in the Isaac Salazar-Ciudad’s group in the
Center of Excellence in Experimental and computational developmental biology of
the Biotechnology Institute of the University of Helsinki, Finland.
The job is for 1 year and renewable for 1 extra year.
2. Background:
Why organisms are the way they are?
Can we understand the processes by which complex organisms are build in each
generation and how these evolved?
The process of embryonic development is now widely acknowledged to be crucial
to understand evolution since any change in the phenotype in evolution (e.g.
morphology) is first a change in the developmental process by which this
phenotype is produced. Over the years we have come to learn that there is a set
of developmental rules that determine which phenotypic variation can possibly
arise in populations due to genetic mutation (the so called genotype-phenotype
map). Since natural selection can act only on existing phenotypic variation,
these rules of development have an effect on the direction of evolutionary
change.
Salazar-Ciudad’s group is devoted to understand these developmental rules and
how these can help to better understand the direction of evolutionary change.
The ultimate goal is to modify evolutionary theory by considering not only
natural selection in populations but also developmental biology in populations.
For that aim we combine mathematical models of embryonic development that
relate genetic variation to morphological variation with population models. The
former models are based on what is currently known in developmental biology.
Many of our models and theories make predictions about several aspects of how
morphological variation should be within populations and between species.
Testing these with empirical data requires advanced morphometrics methods. That
will be the postdoc job.
Salazar-Ciudad’s group is in close collaboration with Jukka Jernvall’s group
and other groups within the center of excellence in experimental and
computational developmental biology. The center includes groups working in
tooth, wing, hair and mammary glands development. In addition to evolutionary
and developmental biologists the center of excellence includes
bioinformaticians, populational and quantitative geneticists, systems
biologists and paleontologists.
“The Academy of Finland's Centres of Excellence are the flagships of Finnish
research. They are close to or at the very cutting edge of science in their
fields, carving out new avenues for research, developing creative research
environments and training new talented researchers for the Finnish research
system.”
3. Requirements:
The applicant must hold a PhD in either evolutionary biology, developmental
biology or, preferably, in evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo).
Previous experience in morphometrics is not mandatory but highly convenient.
Applicants with a PhD in theoretical, mathematical biology or related areas are
also welcomed.
Programming skills or a willingness to acquire them fast is required.
Capacity for abstract and mathematical thinking is required since this projects
would not consist in applying standard morphometric methods.
The most important requirement is a strong interest and motivation on science
and evolution. A capacity for creative and critical thinking is also required.
4. Description of the position:
The fellowship will be for a period of up to 1+1 years (100% research work: no
teaching involved).
Salary according to Finnish postdoc salaries.
5. The application must include:
-Motivation letter including a statement of interests
-CV (summarizing degrees obtained, subjects included in degree and grades,
average grade).
-Summary of PhD project, its main conclusions and its underlying motivation.
-Application should be sent to Isaac Salazar-Ciudad by email:
[email protected]
No official documents are required for the application first stage but these
may be required latter on.
6. Deadline:
There is no specific deadline, the position will be filled as soon as a
suitable candidate is found.
7. Examples of recent publications by Isaac Salazar-Ciudad group.
-Salazar-Ciudad I, Marín-Riera M. Adaptive dynamics under development-based
genotype-phenotype maps. Nature. 2013 May 16;497(7449):361-4.
-Salazar-Ciudad I, Jernvall J. A computational model of teeth and the
developmental origins of morphological variation. Nature. 2010 Mar
25;464(7288):583-6.
8. Interested candidates should check our group webpage:
http://www.biocenter.helsinki.fi/salazar/index.html
The center of Excellence webpage:
http://www.biocenter.helsinki.fi/bi/evodevo/ECDev.html
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