A Phd project is available for students interested in the evolution of adaptive divergence, in this case how fish adapt to geothermally-warmed habitats in Iceland. While the project is multidisciplinary we do not require previous experience in all areas. The most important aspect is that you are keenly interested in doing good science within an evolutionary context. How organisms respond to changing environmental conditions is of pressing concern. While whole organism responses have been well studied there is currently a knowledge gap at the cellular level. This prevents us from making informed predictions for populations in response to environmental change, and an understanding of the mechanisms of plastic responses. Therefore, this project will aim to close this gap by examining whole organisms, tissues, and cells in response to temperature and mechanical stimulation. This will leverage natural populations of stickleback from Iceland which have adapted to geothermally-warmed conditions. These populations possess differences in ecology reflected in morphology, behaviour, and physiology. The project will use these adaptations to understand how environmental responses contribute. Specifically the student will establish cell lines from these populations and perform tests of their response to mechanical stimulation under different temperature conditions. This will also occur in vivo to determine how these different levels reflect each other. Cutting-edge techniques will be used including biomechanical stress assays, molecular biology, and functional tests. The student will benefit from labs fully outfitted for this work, and fish holding facilities. They will also join a group of peers with regular meetings and discussions in a supportive and encouraging atmosphere. Mid December - applicant webinar (date will be communicated when confirmed) - likely to w/c 9th December. 12th January - deadline for student applications. Prospective students should contact Kevin Parsons (kevin.parsons@glasgow.ac.uk) Formal processes for applying can be found here: https://www.gla.ac.uk/colleges/mvls/graduateschool/phd-research-opportunities/futures-programme/projects/fundamentals-of-life/10kevinparsons/#d.en.1117938 Dr. Kevin Parsons Editor in Chief - Evolutionary Biology School of Biodiversity, One Health, and Veterinary Medicine University of Glasgow Phone: +44 (0) 0141 330 5974 https://sites.google.com/site/kevinparsonslab/home http://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/bahcm/staff/kevinparsons/ Kevin Parsons (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)