PhD position in Chronobiology at the UiT – The Arctic University of Norway
Available at the Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, at UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, in Tromsø, Norway. The position is attached to the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology (AMB), and is for a period of four years.
Research Area – The appointee will work in the research group of Professor David Hazlerigg on the the evolution of seasonal time-keeping mechanisms in vertebrates. Prior work in the Hazlerigg lab has defined a conserved thyroid hormone dependent signaling pathway linking day length changes to synchronisation of a core long-term timer in the brain (1,2,3). This project will focus on the fundamental nature of this timer, and on how divergent evolutionary pressures (e.g. latitude and domestication) have shaped its function. The recent re-location of Hazlerigg lab to Tromsø offers unparalleled access to comparative models ideally suited to addressing these issues.
Qualifications required – The candidate must have a master’s degree or equivalent in in a biological sciences discipline. The candidate must also be able to demonstrate a strong interest in comparative and evolutionary aspects of physiology and behaviour, and in chronobiology. The approach taken will combine modern methods in molecular physiology and in quantitative genetics, and favourable consideration will be given to knowledge or practical experience in one or more of the following areas: neuroscience, neuroendocrinology endocrinology, ecophysiology, population genetics, bioinformatics, molecular biology.
Further enquiries and requests for advice on application procedures should be sent to David Hazlerigg at david.hazlerigg@uit.no. Further information on UiT and the Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics can be found online at http://uit.no/startsida and http://uit.no/om/enhet/forsiden?p_dimension_id=88163
References
1. Current Biology 18:1147 (2008) “Ancestral TSH mechanism signals summer in a seasonal mammal”
2. Current Biology 20:2193 (2010) “A molecular switch for photoperiod responsiveness in mammals”
3. Current Biology 24:1500 (2014) “A circannual clock drives expression of genes central for seasonal reproduction”