PhD opportunity: Cognitive consequences of early life experience in
zebrafish

APPLY BY 30/06/2024

The project:
The environment experienced during development can critically influence
physiology, metabolism, and behaviour later in life. This project aims
to test how experiences in early life affect behaviour and cognitive
processing in zebrafish throughout their lifespan.

For example, accumulating evidence suggests that high developmental
temperatures can have detrimental effects on the immune system and neural
development, while short-term exposure to high temperatures may acutely
impair learning capacity. In addition, social cues and predator exposure
may affect development, stress responses, and behaviour. However, the
implications of such stressors for adult behaviour and cognition are
not well understood.

Using the zebrafish (Danio rerio) as laboratory model we seek to
investigate the consequences of different early-life stress for subsequent
adult behaviour and physiology.

The successful candidate will be working in our custom aquatic research
facilities at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and be integrated
into our flourishing "Behavioural Ecology and Physiology Research Group"
in the School of Biological & Environmental Sciences.

Full training in all required techniques, advanced statistical approaches
and relevant research methodologies will be provided by the supervisory
team (Dr. Susanne Zajitschek, Dr. Will Swaney and Dr. Adam Reddon)
and through our Doctoral Academy.

Application process:
Applicants should email a CV including contact details of two
referees, and a cover letter detailing their suitability for the
project, their experience and motivation, to Dr. Susanne Zajitschek:
s.r.zajitschek@ljmu.ac.uk by end of the month.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interview in early July.

Requirements:
Prospective students should have a keen interest in and desire to develop
their knowledge of animal behaviour, zoology, and neurobiology, with good
bachelor's and master's degrees in relevant disciplines. Already published
papers, a good working knowledge of statistical analysis using R, strong
organisational skills, and the ability to work both independently and
collaboratively with a team and prior experience working with fish would
be advantageous.

Location:
In the best city according to students - Liverpool
is leading the Best Cities 2023 League Table
https://www.studentcrowd.com/page/best-uk-student-cities

Funding opportunity:
The selected student will be entered for intramural funding via the
2024-25 LJMU VC PhD Studentship competition. If successful, the student
will receive three years funding covering tuition fees, UKRI-standard
student stipend and research support. If successful in the funding
competition, the student will start in February 2025.

The competition is open to UK home students and international
students, and applications from candidates from under-represented
ethnic minority backgrounds are encouraged. Please see
https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/research/phd-studentship-application for full
details of the funding competition and for eligibility.

[Liverpool John Moores University] <https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/>
Susanne Zajitschek (FHEA Fellow)
School of Biological and Environmental Sciences
James Parsons Building Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF
t: 01519041061 e: S.R.Zajitschek@ljmu.ac.uk
w: https://suszaj.github.io/ZajitschekLab/

"Zajitschek, Susanne" <S.R.Zajitschek@ljmu.ac.uk>

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