********************PostDocs******************** Dear all, We would like to ask you to share among your students and colleagues the opportunity of the research fellowship position (up to two years) at CENTRO INTERDIPARTIMENTALE DI RICERCA INDUSTRIALE Fonti Rinnovabili, Ambiente, Mare ed Energia -FRAME, University of Bologna, UOS Ravenna. The application is open (https://bandi.unibo.it/ricerca/assegni-ricerca?id_bando=67663) on "Innovative taxonomy and metagenomics approaches for the characterization of biodiversity in marine environments in Emilia Romagna" in the framework of the Emilia Romagna Region funded project StreamER -Sensori, Tecnologie Robotiche e mEtagenomica per l'ispezione di Ambienti Marini in Emilia Romagna. The selection is open to candidates in possession of the following qualification: Master Degree or equivalent title in BIOLOGY; SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND TERRITORY; NATURAL SCIENCES with appropriate scientific and professional curriculum. The candidate should have proven experience in: - sampling in marine and/or coastal environments to study communities. - integrated taxonomy approaches of marine organisms; - molecular methods for the study of marine biodiversity (DNA extraction, amplification, Sanger sequencing and NGS) - statistical analysis of ecological data (multivariate) and molecular data (analysis bioinformatics) - writing scientific papers. Applications can be submitted online by accessing the website: https://concorsi.unibo.it., after completing the registration process, following the web procedure instructions. The last day available to submit the application is Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 23:59 Brief project description Assessing the health of underwater habitats and the integrity of maritime infrastructures (i.e. ports, gas and oil pipelines, regasifiers and offshore platforms) is fundamental to determining the effects of climate change and human activities on natural resources and the security of energy supplies and transport of goods and people. The scenario is, however, complicated by the difficulties in using measurement instruments even continuously in a marine environment. Advances in sensor technologies have spurred the development of environmentally friendly inspection methods with the potential to complement or replace conventional and more invasive detection approaches. Sonar scanning or image collection provide information of great value for monitoring not only infrastructure but also for the study of biodiversity, offering not only presence/absence data, but also relative abundance. However, there are limitations in taxonomic resolution at the species level, due to sometimes insufficient image quality. Advances in robotic technologies offer the opportunity to reduce the use of underwater diving for prospecting and to deliver the most advanced sensory tools where necessary. The StreamER project will be based on a drone, Blucy, characterized by a modular and reconfigurable architecture in its hardware and software. This vehicle will act as a testing platform for new and advanced sensors such as flow cytometers and samplers for metagenomic analysis, will be able to coordinate simpler units and finally will be equipped with a new architecture for real-time processing of the collected data. The project represents a contribution in the Blue Growth field because it directly addresses the need to develop innovative technologies to monitor and sustainably manage marine ecosystems. The Blucy drone developed in StreamER could represent, as a whole or through its subsystems, the progenitor of a series of innovative solutions for the monitoring and detection of marine biodiversity with the aim of improving the coexistence of human activities with the environment marine/aquatic in open environments (e.g. offshore platforms, underwater infrastructures) or confined environments (ports, basins, water systems, water and mariculture). This will result in better knowledge of the effects of human activities and climate change on aquatic ecosystems. At the same time, this will contribute to better management of resources, promoting the sustainable development of the blue economy and the achievement of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. For more information please contact us: alessia.cariani@unibo.it; federica.costantini@unibo.it; massimo.ponti@unibo.it Hoping to reach your interest, we thank you for your kind attention Alessia Federica and Massimo Alessia Cariani Laboratory of Genetics & Genomics of Marine Resources and Environment (GenoDREAM) Dept. Biological, Geological & Environmental Sciences (BiGeA) Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna Via Sant'Alberto 163, 48123 Ravenna, Italy Ph. +39 0544937321 - Mobile +39 320 6951145 - Fax +39 0512086327 skype contact: alessiacariani -> Please note that I am currently working at reduced commitment, it might affect my email processing <- Alessia Cariani (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca) ********************WorkshopsCourses******************** Dear all, We are pleased to announce the upcoming online course on "DNA Methylation in Ecology and Evolution," taking place from September 16th to 20th. Course website: ( https://www.physalia-courses.org/courses-workshops/dnamethylation/ ) This course will delve into various methodologies for obtaining and analyzing DNA methylation data, including bisulfite sequencing using Illumina, as well as long-read technologies such as PacBio and Oxford Nanopore. From data acquisition to statistical analyses for identifying differentially methylated sites and regions, participants will gain comprehensive insights into interpreting methylation data in the context of ecology and evolution. The course spans five days, blending theoretical lectures with practical hands-on sessions. Each day will commence with an introductory lecture followed by interactive class discussions. The practical sessions will involve both guided demonstrations by instructors and individual exercises to reinforce learning. While primarily focusing on non-model organisms with draft reference genomes, the examples and applications explored in the course will be broad-ranging and applicable across diverse contexts. For the full list of our courses and workshops, please visit: ( https://www.physalia-courses.org/courses-workshops/dnamethylation/ ) Best regards, Carlo Carlo Pecoraro, Ph.D Physalia-courses DIRECTOR info@physalia-courses.org mobile: +49 17645230846 "info@physalia-courses.org" (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)