NERC CASE PhD studentship, 2008

February 22, 2008

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NERC CASE PhD studentship, 2008

The making of a successful male: an integrated study of male reproductive
success in a pest insect.

Start: October 2008.

Location: School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia,
Norwich, NR47TJ and Oxitec Ltd, Abingdon, OX14 4RX.

Supervisors: Tracey Chapman, Matt Gage
(http://www1.uea.ac.uk/cm/home/schools/sci/bio) and Luke Alphey (CASE
partner) (http://www.oxitec.com/).

Aim: To take a broad approach to integrate the understanding of
fundamental, evolutionarily-important traits in insect pest control.

Summary: Male reproductive success comprises pre- and post-mating
components that are rarely subject to integrated study. This studentship
will address this, and apply pure and applied research approaches to
a pest of significant economic importance for which transgenic insect
technology is well advanced. We have applied experimental evolution
to the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly) and now seek to determine
reproductive fitness and divergence in male reproductive traits.
We predict that males evolving under increased sexual competition will
evolve more effective courtship and significantly higher post-mating
competitiveness. This will reveal the traits that make a successful male
medfly, and also whether pre- or post-mating traits are more strongly
selected. The student will pursue this work at a novel molecular level
by utilising the expertise of the CASE partner to conduct a targeted
transcriptional analysis of important male reproductive proteins in the
evolved lines. The project will extend into the applied domain by testing
whether pre- and post-mating traits in evolved lines and in transgenics
produced for a novel method of insect control, vary predictably in their
response to the key environmental variable of nutritional status. The
results will reveal potential trade-offs and the likely efficacy of the
control strains under varying conditions.

Training: The student will join the
Evolution, Ecology and Biodiversity Group at UEA
(http://bioweb2.bio.uea.ac.uk/research/themes/organismsenvironment/eeb.html).
The School of Biological Sciences at UEA (http://www.uea.ac.uk/bio/)
provides an excellent Ph.D. research and training environment in a Grade
5 research department. The CASE partner Oxitec employs 24 research staff
and is an exciting and challenging environment in which to work. It is
at the forefront on a world-wide scale in the development of insect
transgenesis. The link with Oxitec will therefore provide invaluable
insight and experience for the student into work in the commercial world,
and will offer technical expertise of the highest standard.

Eligibility: Applicants should have a strong degree in biological
sciences or genetics. The full award is available only to residents
of the UK, or those satisfying NERC eligibility requirements
(http://www.nerc.ac.uk/funding/available/postgrad/eligibility.asp). The
award includes a standard NERC stipend supplemented by 1000GBP per annum
by the CASE partner. The student will spend years 1 and 3 at UEA and
year 2 with the CASE partner.

Applications: Informal enquiries to Tracey Chapman
(tracey.chapman@uea.ac.uk). Formal applications should be made via
the Faculty of Science Post-Graduate Office (scipg@uea.ac.uk), see
http://biobis.bio.uea.ac.uk/Resproject/how_to_apply.html for full
details. There is no formal closing date and the position will remain
open until filled.

Scholarship Tags: CASE, NERC, PhD, scholarships, Studentship