 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Postoctoral Position: Evolutionary Genetics in Nasonia
Description: A 2-3 year postdoctoral position is available to study evolutionary genetics in the parasitoid wasp genus Nasonia. Nasonia is an emerging model system for genetic research, which has recently been selected for full genome sequencing (http://www.genome.gov/13014443). Genome sequencing has been approved by NIH for 6-fold sequencing of N. vitripennis and 1-fold sequencing of the two sibling species, N. giraulti and N.longicornis.
Nasonia is a complex of three closely related species that are interfertile, allowing movement of genes between them. The three species differ in many interesting aspects of morphology and behavior. An NIH-funded project investigates the genetic basis of a 2.5 fold difference in male wing-size between two species(N. vitripennis and N. giraulti). This represents a recent evolution of male- and organ-specific regulation of cell size and number, and our genetic analyses indicates that the difference is due primarily to 3-4 genetic regions of large effect. Fine-scale mapping and introgression of wing size genes from one species into the other has been accomplished. The goal of this project is to use positional cloning methods to identify candidate genes involved, and to investigate their patterns of molecular evolution, and gene expression in wing imaginal discs.
Depending upon interest, the postdoctoral researcher will also have opportunities to become involved in aspects of the Nasonia EST project (70,000 EST’s are currently being sequenced in the two species), Nasonia microarry, and molecular evolutionary studies emerging from the Nasonia genome project.
Additional information on Nasonia and related projects can be obtained through my website below.
Requirements: PhD. Experience with some combination of the following: insect genetics, DNA sequencing and analysis, molecular evolution, QT-PCR, cDNA microarrays, BAC library hybridization.
Salary: $33,500 – 38,500 per year, depending upon experience level. Health Insurance is also included. Rochester has a moderate cost of living with readily available and affordable housing.
Deadline: The position is available immediately. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
Please send by email a statement of interest, CV and contact information for three references to: Dr. John (Jack) Werren, Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14637.
email: werr@mail.rochester.edu
website: http://www.rochester.edu/College/BIO/labs/WerrenLab/
Last modified: April 27, 2005