Research Associate

The role

This post is to join an HFSP funded project ‘Evolution at the plant apex: identifying steps enabling a major organismal radiation’. An interdisciplinary project involving collaboration with co-Is in Edinburgh (Sandy Hetherington), Ghent (Tom Beeckman) and Kyoto (Rieko Fujinami), the project aims to identify morphological, developmental and genetic changes during the origin and radiation of vascular plants. You will use developmental and genetic approaches in a moss and a lycophyte to identify genes involved in the origin of apical growth.

What will you be doing?

The project will involve:

• Moss mutagenesis and a screen for mutants with defective sporangia
• Establishment of a method for Selaginella transgenesis using extensive preliminary data to guide experiments
• Reverse genetic analysis of Selaginella CLAVATA gene function.

Based in Bristol, you will work collaboratively with post-docs and PIs in 4 labs to implement the research and prepare materials for publication. You will communicate research findings through regular shared lab meetings, and oral and poster presentations at scientific meetings.

You should apply if

If you have an evo-devo or plant development PhD (or be working toward one), you will be ideally suited to the role. You must have extensive molecular biology experience, ideally having experience with multiple genetic models. Experience of tissue culture and in situ hybridisation or immunolocalization will be advantageous. You will need a versatile approach to your work, to work effectively in a team and to have excellent written and oral communication skills. The position requires some international travel for project meetings and may require short term research visits to collaborator labs. It may also require flexibility in hours worked, for instance to complete growth time courses.

Additional information

For informal enquiries please contact Jill Harrison (jill.harrison@bristol.ac.uk).

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