5 PhD Positions: Molecular and Chemical Ecology and Evolution 1055 views

The International Max Planck Research School (IMPRS) “The Exploration of Ecological Interactions with Molecular and Chemical Techniques” is inviting applications for 5 PhD positions beginning in October 2019 – January 2020.

About the positions:

• The overarching research topic is the use of molecular, chemical and neurobiological techniques to experimentally explore ecological interactions under natural conditions.
• The main focus is on the relationship between plants, microbes and herbivores, and their environment, as well as the evolutionary and behavioral consequences of these interactions.
• The 12 exciting projects focusing on different organisms and approaches are being offered.

Requirements:

• Applicants should have or be about to obtain a Masters or equivalent degree in one of the following fields: Entomology, Neurobiology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Plant Physiology, Genetics, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Bioinformatics, And Mathematics And Computer Science.
• All our projects are highly integrative and require willingness to closely collaborate with researchers of different backgrounds.

*There are no tuition fees and the working language is English.

Applications:

Apply online

Projects offered in 2019

Project 1: Surfing the surface: Hydrophobins on fungal hyphae Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Erika Kothe, Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Prof. Dr. Jonathan Gershenzon, Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology; Dr. Aleš Svatoš, Research Group Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Project 2: Towards GC-MS: Adapting SIRIUS and CSI:FingerID for Electron Ionization fragmentation

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Sebastian Böcker, Chair of Bioinformatics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Prof. Dr. Georg Pohnert, Chair of Instrumental Analytics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Dr. Aleš Svatoš, Research Group Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Project 3: Molecular basis of balanced color polymorphisms in grasshoppers

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Holger Schielzeth, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Project 4: Communication in plant communities via a hyphal network connecting the roots of neighboring plants

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Ralf Oelmüller, Plant Physiology, Matthias Schleiden Institute, Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Priv. Doz. Dr. Axel Mithöfer, Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Project 5: Tapping into signaling interactions between nematodes and aphids

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Nicole M. van Dam, Molecular Interaction Ecology, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig & Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Dr Grit Kunert, Chemical Communication in Plant-Aphid Interactions, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Project 6: Convergent evolution of metabolic pathways: The biosynthesis of benzoxazinoids in dicotyledonous plants

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Sarah O’Connor, Department of Natural Product Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology; Dr. Tobias Köllner, Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Project 7: The role of the transcription factor FLC in growth habit, fruit dimorphism and plant defense of Aethionema arabicum

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Günter Theißen, Genetics, Matthias Schleiden Institute, Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Prof. Dr. Jonathan Gershenzon, Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology; Prof. Dr. Ralf Oelmüller, Plant Physiology, Matthias Schleiden Institute, Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Project 8: Chemical defense strategies of plants and evasion strategies of feeding insects – A systems biology approach

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Stefan Schuster, Bioinformatics, Matthias Schleiden Institute, Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Prof. Dr. Jonathan Gershenzon, Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Project 9: Detoxification of diterpene resin acids by the pine weevil (Hylobius abietis)

Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Jonathan Gershenzon, Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology; Prof. Dr. Erika Kothe, Institute for Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University Jena; Dr. Axel Schmidt, Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Project 10: Bimodal navigation in desert ants: The role of vision and olfaction

Supervisors: Dr. Markus Knaden, Department of Evolutionary Neuroethology, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology; Dr. Hannah Rowland, Research Group Predators and Prey, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Project 11: Tiny beetle with a chemical weapon: Do flea beetles use mustard oils against predators and pathogens?

Supervisors: Dr. Franziska Beran, Research Group Sequestration and Detoxification in Insects, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology; Prof. Jonathan Gershenzon, Department of Biochemistry, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology

Project 12: A bird’s eye view of warning signals

Supervisors: Dr. Hannah Rowland, Research Group Predators and Prey, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology; Prof. Uwe Mayer, Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento