Standing genetic variation is a key fuel for rapid adaptation. Understanding forces that maintain variation is therefore crucial to predict adaptation, for instance to climate change or animal breeding. Balancing selection potentially plays a fundamental role, countering the effects of drift and directional selection (1,2).
Seasonally fluctuating balancing selection, where populations experience contrasting selection pressures during the year (3), is widespread yet it is poorly understood how such selection contributes to maintaining variation (4). Recent models predict that it should increase diversity close to selected sites (4), but the net effect however is unclear as we lack suitable model systems to test predictions.
Supervisor Oostra has an established model system of African butterflies where some species inhabit seasonal savannahs (fluctuating selection) and others inhabit aseasonal rainforests (constant selection) (5). This system combines excellent genomic resources with deep understanding of seasonal selection pressures (3).
Co-supervisor Fumagalli has developed new tools targeting recent and transient balancing selection in non-model species(2), and how to quantify it from large-scale genomic data.
You will test if seasonal environments promote balancing selection, and what effect this has on genetic diversity. You will
The Oostra Lab is a well-funded team consisting of 2 postdocs, 3 PhD students and 2 technicians with broad expertise in evolutionary genomics, bioinformatics, and ecology, providing an stimulating intellectual environment. We are a diverse and welcoming group of researchers who value collaboration, curiosity and life outside the lab.
Full training in evolutionary genomics, bioinformatics, programming, and statistics will be provided by supervisors and collaborators, by attending specialised courses, and through collaboration with other lab members.
Find out more about the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences on our website.
We are looking for candidates to have or expecting to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree and a Master’s degree in an area relevant to the project such as Biology, Bioinformatics or Evolutionary Genomics.
We seek applicants who are curious, willing to learn, and able to work independently and in a team. Quantitative skills (e.g. statistics, handling large datasets), and/or experience in bioinformatics (e.g. working with Illumina data, computer programming in R/bash/Python) are essential, as is interest or experience in population genetics, phylogenetics or evolutionary genomics. We value diversity and encourage candidates with unique backgrounds and skills to apply, especially candidates from underrepresented backgrounds, or who may have faced particular barriers. We are conscious that candidates may bring skills or experience that we have not listed here.
You must meet the IELTS requirements for your course and upload evidence before CSC’s application deadline, ideally by 1st March 2025. You are therefore strongly advised to sit an approved English Language test as soon as possible, where your IELTS test must still be valid when you enrol for the programme.
Please find further details on our English Language requirements page.
Formal applications must be submitted through our online form by 29th January 2025 for consideration. Please identify yourself as a ‘CSC Scholar’ in the funding section of the application.
Applicants are required to submit the following documents:
Find out more about our application process on our SBBS website.
Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Dr Vicencio Oostra AT v.oostra@qmul.ac.uk Admissions-related queries can be sent to sbbs-pgadmissions@qmul.ac.uk
Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a formal interview by the supervisor. If you are successful in your QMUL application, then you will be issued an QMUL Offer Letter, conditional on securing a CSC scholarship along with academic conditions still required to meet our entry requirements.
Once applicants have obtained their QMUL Offer Letter, they should then apply to CSC for the scholarship with the support of the supervisor.
For further information, please go to the QMUL China Scholarship Council webpage.
Apply Online