A 6-year fully funded PhD (research+teaching) fellowship on 'Evolution and genomics of sex chromosomes and sex determination in frogs' is available at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Brussels, Belgium) We are seeking a PhD fellowship position, funded by Vrije Universiteit Brussel and ERC Starting Grant, to join the Evolutionary Genomics of Sex lab (https://www.wmalab.com) in the Biology Department (https://we.vub.ac.be/en/biology-department) at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. As the teaching is involved in bachelor Biology courses, so Dutch speaking is required for this position. Job vacancy link: https://jobs.vub.be/job/Elsene-Doctoraatsbeurs-Biologie/1085234101/ Research topics in the Ma lab: We are interested in how sex chromosomes evolve, and why the evolutionary trajectories of sex chromosomes differ dramatically across eukaryotes. For example, sex determination is very labile in reptiles, amphibians and fishesbut highly stable in mammals and most birds. We study the drivers of sex chromosome recombination suppression, the genomic signature, and the evolution and genomic basis of sex determination and endosymbionts manipulation of host reproduction. We integrate comparative and functional genomics, transcriptomics, molecular genetics, artificial selection, and fieldwork sampling to reveal the genomic signature and genetic architecture of sex. The PhD topics are covered: Genetic mechanism of frog sex determination Evolution of rapid birth and death of sex chromosomes Role of repeats in the evolution of sex chromosomes and genomes You will gain experience in: Field sampling (Europe/Asia/Central America) Molecular genetics Comparative genomics State of the art OMIC approaches (DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing RAD sequencing) The ideal candidate: Dutch proficiency (or at B2/C1 level) Has background in evolutionary biology Is highly motivated by evolutionary questions Is eager/passionate to learn (new) genetic/genomics techniques/analysis Has great communication skills and is a team player Shows initiative to drive the project Competitive offer: Brussels is beautiful, affordable & highly cultural diverse 6-year full funding Monthly net salary euro 2500 Free public transportation (home to campus) Social welfare package Pension contribution Pension contribution Application files: a cover letter expressing your interest, your qualifications for the position and your future career goals your CV a copy of your master degree diploma and master transcripts names and contact information of 2-3 professional references Application deadline: 15/July/2024 Please applyvia the VUB link: https://jobs.vub.be/job/Elsene-Doctoraatsbeurs-Biologie/1085234101/ Informal scientific enquiries can be emailed to Wen-Juan Ma (wen-juan.ma@vub.be). Best regards, Wen-Juan Ma, PhD Prof. Dr. Wen-Juan Ma Assistant Professor Evolutionary Genomics of Sex Lab Research Group of Ecology,Evolution and Genetics (bDIV) Biology Department Vrije Universiteit Brussel Pleinlaan 2 - 1050 Brussels, Belgium Office F5.60 T +32 (0)2 629 3416 http://www.wmalab.com https://bdiv.research.vub.be/en/home-0 https://academic.oup.com/jeb/pages/why-publish Wen-Juan Ma (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)