PhD position in Snake Venom Evolution

 

The Gibbs Lab in the Department of EEOB at Ohio State University is recruiting a Ph.D. student, to begin in Fall 2019, to develop a dissertation project on the evolution of venom diversity at the molecular level among closely-related species of New World snakes. The student will join a group that uses genomic, transcriptome and proteomic data to study snake venom proteins as a model for the evolution of adaptations at the molecular level. The project would be part of an ongoing NSF (US)-FAPESP (Brazil) Dimensions of Biodiversity grant on snake venom evolution that involves institutions in the US (Ohio State, Florida State University, and Clemson University) and Brazil (Instituto Butantan). There would be the opportunity for training visits to these institutions.

The ideal applicant would have strong quantitative skills and proficiency or interest in learning bioinformatics techniques and experience in using molecular data to examine evolutionary questions. A Master’s degree is preferred but not required. This is primarily a lab-based project but with the possible opportunity for limited fieldwork.

The student would join an active lab that applies genomic techniques and bioinformatics analyses to a wide range of questions in the evolutionary biology and conservation genetics of vertebrates. The Department of EEOB provides year-round financial support (~ $28K/yr plus benefits and tuition) for PhD students for the duration of their program.

Interested students should contact Dr. H. Lisle Gibbs, Department of EEOB, Ohio State University at gibbs.128@osu.edu with a statement of interest, a CV, transcripts and GRE scores if available. I will start reviewing applications on 15 October.  Please see the lab (https://u.osu.edu/gibbslab) and department (http://eeob.osu.edu/) websites for more information.