PARASITE ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI

Applications are invited for a 4-year PhD fellowship / 3-year post doc
to study parasite evolution by combining ecological, evolutionary and
molecular approaches.

The project is centered on the interaction between host plant Plantago
lanceolata and its fungal pathogen Podosphaera plantaginis in the
Åland Islands. Prior research on this interaction has shown that the
pathogen persists as a metapopulation. Despite rapid turnover of local
populations there is evidence of rapid ongoing evolution between these
species. In your project you will ask how processes at different
spatial scales – molecular, within host, within population and
metapopulation – affect the diversity and evolution of pathogens. In
practice, you will carry out field surveys in the Aland Islands,
conduct experimental work in the laboratory and genotype pathogen
isolates using SNP markers.

The research group of Dr Anna-Liisa Laine is part of the
Metapopulation Research Group, Centre of Excellence appointed by the
Academy of Finland, where you’ll find a wide range of expertise
studying ecological and evolutionary questions within a spatial
framework.

Please send your application to anna-liisa.laine@helsinki.fi by 10 May
2010. Attach a CV (with possible publications included), contact
details of two references, and a letter (MAX 1 page) with a
description of your researcher interests and why you would be a
suitable candidate for the project. The work is scheduled to start in
the summer-autumn of 2010.

For more information, please contact Dr Anna-Liisa Laine
(anna-liisa.laine@helsinki.fi) and visit our websites at
www.helsinki.fi/science/metapop.

For information on the University of Helsinki, please visit:
http://www.helsinki.fi/university/index.html