OPPORTUNITY: PhD position at Ghent University

About DIADAPT:
Diatoms are a group of highly diverse, globally dominant microalgae which contribute significantly to global carbon fixation and biogeochemical cycling. Understanding how diatoms adapt to changes in their environment is therefore a major research interest. However, whereas the phenotypic outcomes of adaptation have received considerable attention, we understand little about the genomic underpinnings of evolution and adaptation in diatoms. Within DIADAPT, we will investigate the genomic processes that underlie adaptation to climate shifts in diatoms by integrating lab experiments with comparative genomics and transcriptomics on diatoms that inhabit different environments (aquatic, terrestrial) and climate zones.

About the PhD position:
* You will perform laboratory experiments aimed at revealing the thermal niches of various diatom species.
* You will obtain and analyze genomes and transcriptomes from various diatom species, including comparative genomics/transcriptomics and differential expression analysis. - You will integrate experimental and genomic data to identify the evolutionary genetic background of climate adaptation in diatoms.
* Data management and curation is an important aspect of your project.
* You will be encouraged to contribute to science communication.
* You will work in the Laboratory of Protistology & Aquatic Ecology (PAE) at Ghent University’s Department of Biology, under supervision of Professor Eveline Pinseel.