PhD in Animal Embryo Development: The University of Dundee is offering a fully funded PhD opportunity focusing on understanding how ancient genes regulate animal embryo development at a single-cell resolution. The project aims to explore the interactions between evolutionarily old and young genes and their impact on healthy embryo formation.
PhD Opportunity in Animal Embryo Development
Designation
PhD Studentship – Royal Society (Wolfson Studentship)
Table
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded for 4 years, covering tuition fees, training/research costs, and an annual tax-free stipend of £20,955 |
| Start Date | Between July 2025 and September 2025 |
| Application Deadline | 21 March 2025 |
| Principal Supervisor | Dr. Hajk Drost |
| Contact Email | hdrost001@dundee.ac.uk |
| Contact Phone | +44 (0)1382 384826 |
Research Area
- Computational Biology
- Evolutionary Medicine
- Developmental Biology
Location
University of Dundee, School of Life Sciences, Dundee, UK
Eligibility/Qualification
- Candidates must have a degree (equivalent to Honours or Master’s) in a relevant discipline such as:
- Evolutionary Developmental Biology (evo-devo)
- Evolutionary Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Computational Biology
- Strong affinity for data analysis, preferably in R or Python.
- Willingness to collaborate with wet-labs for in vitro testing of project predictions is encouraged.
Description
This interdisciplinary PhD project seeks to address the fundamental question: Why does embryo development go wrong sometimes? The research will utilize various developmental transcriptome datasets at bulk- and single-cell resolution, collaborating with ongoing projects on developmental heterochrony and body plan evolution. The successful candidate will learn to use cutting-edge software solutions developed within the team (including myTAI, orthologR, DIAMOND2, DIAMOND DeepClust, and GenEra) to establish a new framework for understanding developmental diseases. Insights gained from the project will contribute significantly to the understanding of diseases linked to misaligned developmental programs during embryo formation.
How to Apply
Interested candidates can apply by visiting the University of Dundee’s application portal. Detailed application guidance and downloadable application forms are available there.
Last Date for Apply
21 March 2025
For more information and to begin your application, please contact Dr. Hajk Drost at hdrost001@dundee.ac.uk or +44 (0)1382 384826. This PhD opportunity is open to both Home and International students.
