PhD Student in Plant Biology - Functional Genomics in Conifers

Description:

PhD Student in Plant Biology - Functional Genomics in Conifers Department of Physiological Botany The Department of Physiological Botany at Umeå University is advertising a PhD student position in the Con-TEki project, which investigates the role of transposable elements (TEs) as drivers of regulatory innovation in conifers (spruce and pine). The department is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC; www.upsc.se), an internationally leading research environment with approximately 200 researchers in plant biology, including molecular biology, genomics, physiology, and bioinformatics. UPSC offers access to advanced infrastructure for plant transformation, sequencing, computational analysis, and advanced microscopy in a strongly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment. Project Description Conifer genomes are very large and rich in transposable elements, but the functional consequences of TE integrations for gene regulation are still poorly understood. The Con-TEki project aims to understand how TE-derived regulatory elements contribute to divergence in gene expression and adaptive responses in conifers. This PhD project focuses on the development and implementation of methods for functional validation of regulatory elements in conifer systems. The work will integrate large-scale regulatory genomics data with experimental molecular biology to directly test hypotheses generated from genomic data. The project encompasses integration of genomic data (e.g., chromatin accessibility, gene expression, and methylation data) with experimental methods to validate candidate regulatory elements and gene regulatory mechanisms. Particular emphasis will be placed on establishing robust and reproducible workflows for functional analyses in spruce and pine. Within the scope of the project, there are good opportunities to develop expertise at the intersection of experimental molecular biology and bioinformatics. The project will utilize transformation and validation platforms at UPSC, enabling direct testing of candidate regulatory elements in conifer systems. The project is particularly well-suited for candidates with a strong interest in developing and optimizing experimental methods. Experience with reporter gene assays, transient expression systems, or genome editing is particularly valuable. Duties The PhD student will be trained to: Develop and implement experimental methods for functional validation of regulatory elements Perform molecular biology experiments, including nucleic acid extraction and library preparation for sequencing Contribute to generation, processing, and interpretation of genomic data Integrate experimental results with computational analyses Develop reproducible workflows for experimental and analytical tasks Participate in scientific communication through presentations and publications Eligibility Basic eligibility is held by those who have completed a degree at advanced level, completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at advanced level, or in another way within or outside the country acquired essentially equivalent knowledge. The Faculty Board may grant exceptions to the requirement of basic eligibility for an individual applicant if there are special reasons. (HF 7 ch. 39 §) To meet the requirement of special eligibility for admission to doctoral education in plant biology, the applicant must have completed course requirements of at least 90 higher education credits at advanced level in biology, or other subjects relevant to the research area, such as chemistry, physics, or computer science. Of these, at least 15 higher education credits must be from courses with direct relevance to the research project, and at least 15 higher education credits from an individual project work. Good knowledge of English, both written and oral, is also required. The above requirements for prior knowledge are considered met also by those who in another manner have acquired essentially equivalent knowledge. Qualifications Requirements Practical experience with molecular biology methods Strong ability to work experimentally in a structured and reproducible manner Strong ability to communicate in English, both orally and in writing Meriting Experience with high-throughput sequencing (e.g., RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, or similar) Experience working with plant material Experience with bioinformatics, programming, or data analysis Experience with method development and optimization About the Position The position is aimed at a doctoral degree, and the PhD student's main task is to pursue their research training, which includes both participation in the research project described above and research training courses. The duties may include teaching and other departmental work (maximum 20%). The position is time-limited to four years full-time or up to five years with part-time teaching. Salary placement is made according to the established salary scale for PhD student positions. Start date October 5, 2026, or by agreement. Application Applications should be written in English (preferably) or Swedish and submitted via Umeå University's recruitment system Varbi. Application deadline is July 31, 2026. A complete application should contain: Personal letter (max 2 pages) describing your qualifications and motivation for applying CV Copies of degree certificates and documentation of completed higher education courses and grades Contact information for 2–3 references Any other documents the applicant wishes to provide Contact For questions, contact: Professor Nathaniel R. Street, Umeå University, [email protected]PhD Student in Plant Biology - Functional Genomics in Conifers Department of Physiological Botany The Department of Physiological Botany at Umeå University is advertising a PhD student position in the Con-TEki project, which investigates the role of transposable elements (TEs) as drivers of regulatory innovation in conifers (spruce and pine). The department is part of Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC; www.upsc.se), an internationally leading research environment with approximately 200 researchers in plant biology, including molecular biology, genomics, physiology, and bioinformatics. UPSC…

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job

Status

active

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public

City

Umeå

Address

Umeå universitet

GPS

63.7970413, 20.2816791copyopen in

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2

Published

19. 5. 2026

Edited

30. 7. 2026

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