Research Assistant

College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences

We have an opportunity for a Research Assistant, based at Glasgow, to contribute to a BBSRC funded project: Mechanisms of gut-brain axis involvement in ectotherm thermotolerance: "how the gut brain axis helps animals weather the heat?" working with Kevin Parsons (Glasgow), and co-PI Alexandre Benedetto (Lancaster) as well as collaboration with Jason Chin (Queen’s University Belfast) and Phillip Donkersley (Lancaster).

The successful candidate will join this team and focus on thermally-driven variation in microbiomes associated with threespine stickleback populations inhabiting geothermally-warmed habitats. Experiments and analysis will operate within an evolutionary framework to provide a deeper understanding of microbiome function in this study system, and will contribute to a broader insight into how populations of ectotherms could respond to climate change.

Specifically, the project will develop a unique natural gut microbial collection and identify gut microbes with thermoprotective potential. Approaches will involve shotgun-metagenomics, assisting with the isolation and cultivation of gut bacteria associated with heat adaptation, identifying genetic and developmental variation associated with heat adaptation, experimental manipulations of gut bacteria, and identification of gut/brain gene-expression changes associated with heat adaptation.

Candidates should have a theoretical understanding of evolutionary biology.

Informal enquiries should be directed to Dr Kevin Parsons, Kevin.Parsons@glasgow.ac.uk

This post is full time (35 hours per week) and has funding for up to 3 years.

To apply online, please click on the 'Apply' button above.

Closing Date: 24 November 2025 @23:45

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/. 

We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.

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