PhD Position Evolution of maternal effects in live-bearing fishes

We are looking for

Do you want to identify the factors that affect the foetal environmental biology? Do you want to study how the mechanisms that underlie the transmission of adverse maternal conditions to the offspring change in live-bearing animal lineages during the evolution of a placenta? Are you motivated to work in an interdisciplinary team of scientists embedded in an ambitions EU research consortium?
 
We have PhD position (1.0 fte, 4 year) – Evolution of maternal effects in live-bearing fishes – at the Experimental Zoology group of Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
You will use an innovative fish model to study these questions: the live-bearing fish family Poeciliidae (which includes well known pet fish, such as the guppy). The placenta evolved multiple times independently in the Poeciliidae. This family contains closely related species, as well as populations within species, that vary markedly in the presence and complexity of placentas. This allows for the elucidation of the mechanisms specific to placenta by which adverse maternal conditions are transmitted to the offspring, without the potentially confounding mitigating effects of compensatory postnatal maternal care (e.g. found in mammals). Furthermore, this variation in placental complexity at such low taxonomic levels offers a unique opportunity to study how the mechanisms that underlie the transmission of adverse maternal conditions evolve in association with the evolution of the placenta.
You may use a combination of laboratory experiments, life history evolution, physical and physiological performance tests, cognitive trials, comparative neuro- & placental anatomy and comparative genomics & transcriptomics.
Project description
The placenta is an intimate maternal-fetal connection that plays a crucial role in the regulation of embryo development. The evolution of such an intimate connection implies that adverse conditions (stress, depression) experienced by the mother during pregnancy can more easily be transmitted to the embryo via the placenta.
In this PhD project we aim to:

identify the factors that affect the foetal environmental biology,

study the mechanisms at play by which adverse prenatal conditions experienced by the mother are transmitted to their developing offspring in utero, shaping their risk for developing negative mental outcomes later in life,

study how the mechanisms that underlie the transmission of adverse maternal conditions to the offspring change in live-bearing animal lineages during the evolution of a placenta.

Team

The PhD candidate will work in the group of Dr. Pollux (Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, the Netherlands). Dr. Pollux and colleagues focus on the causes, mechanisms and consequences of placenta evolution in fishes (

http://www.bartpollux.nl

). The project will take place in close collaboration with Dr. Aniko Korosi (Associate Professor Neuroscience, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam). This PhD project is part of a larger EU research consortium that includes 17 European partner institutes funded under the HORIZON – Research and Innovations Action (RIA), focusing on understanding, predicting and treating depression in pregnancy to improve mothers and offspring mental health outcomes. 

We ask

For this interdisciplinary project, we look for an enthusiastic, creative, result-driven person.
You have 

• a MSc degree in biology or related field.
• a genuine interest in evolutionary biology – in particular the relationship between development and evolution.
• proven experience with fish breeding/experimentation under laboratory conditions.
• excellent skills in molecular (qPCR, RNAseq) and/or immunohistological techniques.
• affinity with bioinformatics (genomics, transcriptomics).
• excellent communication skills and proficiency in English (both oral and written) are a prerequisite. For this position your command of the English language is expected to be at C1 level . Sometimes it is necessary to submit an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language. More information can be found here

We offer

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment . A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• the option to accrue additional holiday hours by working more, up to 40 hours per week;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed December bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will receive a fully funded PhD position and you will be offered a course program tailored to your needs and the research team. The gross salary for the first year is € 2.541,- per month rising to € 3.247,- in the fourth year in according to the

Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities

(CAO-NU) (scale P). This is based on a full-time working week of 38 hours.

We offer a temporary contract for 18 months which will be extended for the duration of the project if you perform well.

There are plenty of options for personal initiative in a learning environment, and we provide excellent training opportunities. We are offering a unique position in an international environment with a pleasant and open working atmosphere.

You are going to work at the greenest and most innovative campus in Holland, and at a university that has been chosen as the “Best University ” in the Netherlands for the 17th consecutive time.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees. Applicants from abroad moving to the Netherlands may qualify for a special tax relief , known as the 30% ruling. Our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.

Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research’s International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees and students coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, we can assist you with any additional advice and information about helping your partner to find a job, housing, schooling, and other issues.

More information

Do you want more information?

For more information about this position, please contact Dr. Bart Pollux (Associate Professor Evolutionary Biology), phone: +31(0)317 486083, email:

bart.pollux@wur.nl

.

For more information about the procedure, please contact Ine van ‘t Land, Corporate Recruiter by e-mail

ine.vantland@wur.nl

.

Do you want to apply?

You can apply directly by uploading your CV and motivation letter, using the apply button on the vacancy page on our website which will allow us to process your personal information with your approval. 

You should include:

• a letter of motivation,
• CV (including grades)
• names of three references

This vacancy will be listed up to and including 14 November 2022. We hope to schedule the first job interviews on 28-30 November 2022.
The preferred starting date for this position is 1 January 2023.

Equal opportunities

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) employs a large number of people with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisation and be offered the same career opportunities. We therefore especially welcome applications from people who are underrepresented at WUR. For more information please go to our

inclusivity page.

A good example of how WUR deals with inclusiveness can be read on the page working at WUR with a

functional impairment

.

We are

Wageningen University & Research
The mission of Wageningen University & Research is “To explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life”. Under the banner Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen University and the specialised research institutes of the Wageningen Research Foundation have joined forces in contributing to finding solutions to important questions in the domain of healthy food and living environment.

With its roughly 30 branch­es, 7,200 employees (6,400 fte) and 13,200 students and over 150.000 participants to WUR’s Life Long Learning, Wageningen University & Research is one of the leading organisations in its domain. The unique Wageningen approach lies in its integrated approach to issues and the collaboration between different disciplines.. An integrated approach to problems and the cooperation between various disciplines are at the heart of Wageningen’s unique approach. WUR has been named Best Employer in the Education category for 2019-2020.

These are the points our employees list as good reasons to come work at WUR: read the 5 reasons to come work at WUR

We will recruit for the vacancy ourselves, so no employment agencies please. However, sharing in your network is appreciated.