PhD position in Comparative Nematode Genomics

The diplogastrid nematode Pristionchus pacificus has been established as a satellite model to Caenorhabditis elegans over the last decade in the Department of Evolutionary Biology at the Max-Planck Institute for Developmental Biology. We have completed the first draft genome assembly in collaboration with the Genome sequencing center of the University of Washington, St. Louis. Our bioinformatics analysis unraveled a wealth of P. pacificus specific gene families or significant copy number differences to C. elegans. This observation holds true for both coding and non-coding genes. Some examples have already been confirmed in wet lab experiments (e.g. P. pacificus specific Cellulases).

Objective:
Confirmation and functional assessment of P. pacificus specific gene products in the context of gene regulation.

Experimental work:

• Experimental validation of gene structures by PCR.
• Expression analysis by Qt-PCR.
• Expression pattern analysis by in-situ probes.
• Reverse genetics by deletion library screening.

Computational work:

• Gene family evolution.
• Prediction of gene product interactions (e.g. binding sites for proteins and RNAs).

The exact scope of the project is subject to the interest of the successful applicant. The project will be supervised by Dr. Christoph Dieterich

Application Deadline: 16th January 2008

Please apply via our website http://www.eb.tuebingen.mpg.de/phd-program