阿伯丁大学PhD Position in QUARTILES DLA: Harnessing blood transcriptomics to explore physiological trade-offs in an Arctic ungulate申请条件要求-申请方
主办方
阿伯丁大学
PhD直招介绍
About the Project
This fully funded PhD project is part of the QUARTILES Doctoral Landscape Award( https://quartiles-dla.ac.uk/ ), a BBSRC( https://www.ukri.org/councils/bbsrc/ ) and NERC( https://www.ukri.org/councils/nerc/ )-funded research and training programme designed to equip PhD students with the skills, expertise, outlook, and real-world experience needed to become the next generation of scientific leaders capable of addressing pressing environmental grand challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainability.
This PhD project offers a unique opportunity to investigate how Svalbard reindeer, an iconic species of the Arctic, balance the conflicting demands of reproduction and immunity in one of the most extreme environments on Earth. Reproduction and immune defence are both energetically costly, and in resource-limited environments, animals must make strategic trade-offs to survive. While these physiological trade-offs have been studied in controlled laboratory settings, much less is known about how wild animals navigate these challenges in the face of fluctuating environmental pressures. With the Arctic warming nearly four times faster than the global average (1), understanding how these adaptations occur is critical for predicting how species will respond to future environmental changes.
The Svalbard reindeer is an exceptional model for studying these physiological adaptations. These reindeer face harsh winters and frequent climate-driven events, such as rain-on-snow, which can create impenetrable ice layers and severely limit access to food. Pregnant females are particularly vulnerable, as their need for resources peaks at a time when environmental conditions are the most unforgiving. Furthermore, the Svalbard reindeer population is unique in being regulated by parasitic nematodes, a host-parasite interaction that is highly sensitive to climate fluctuations (2). Long-term data from individually marked reindeer—including information on body condition, reproductive success, and parasite burden—provides an unparalleled foundation for investigating how reindeer adjust their physiology to balance reproduction and immunity (3,4).
This project will harness the power of cutting-edge transcriptomics to gain insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying these physiological trade-offs. By analysing blood samples from both pregnant and non-pregnant females, as well as from vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, we will explore how gene expression patterns reflect adaptive changes in response to resource limitations. Blood transcriptomics offers a non-invasive, ecologically relevant way to assess immune activity and metabolic adjustments, making it an ideal tool for studying physiological resilience in wild populations (5,6).
Beyond its scientific goals, this project is designed to provide an exceptional training experience that will prepare you for a successful career in life sciences research. You will gain expertise in key areas, including integrative physiology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and ecological data analysis. Comprehensive training will be provided in RNA sequencing, data visualization, and statistical modelling using R and Python. You will learn to interpret large-scale transcriptomic datasets in the context of ecological variables such as age, body condition, and parasite load, ensuring you can draw meaningful conclusions about physiological adaptation. This interdisciplinary approach will equip you with highly transferable skills applicable to a broad range of biological research challenges.
In addition to technical skills, you will receive training in scientific communication, allowing you to present your findings confidently to both academic and non-academic audiences. The project is embedded in an internationally recognized long-term research program, providing access to established datasets, fieldwork opportunities, and collaborations with leading researchers across institutions including the University of Aberdeen, Queen’s University Belfast, and SRUC School of Veterinary Medicine. The supervisory team comprises experts in mammalian physiology, bioinformatics, wildlife disease ecology, and transcriptomics, ensuring you receive well-rounded mentorship and guidance throughout your PhD journey.
The training offered extends beyond research skills to include career development activities designed to enhance your employability. You will have the opportunity to develop expertise in project management, building collaborations and networks, and stakeholder engagement, so you are well-prepared for a wide range of careers in academia, conservation, or industry. As part of this studentship, you will also benefit from tailored workshops, seminars, and access to advanced training modules on key topics such as genomics, ecological adaptation, animal health and biostatistics.
By joining this project, you will contribute to a deeper understanding of how wild animals cope with environmental change and help to advance the use of blood transcriptomics as a non-invasive tool for monitoring wildlife health. The findings from this research have the potential to inform conservation strategies and improve our understanding of host-parasite interactions in a changing world. We are looking for a motivated and curious candidate with a passion for wildlife biology, genomics, and ecological adaptation. If you are excited to explore how molecular biology can help answer critical questions about survival in extreme environments, we invite you to apply and join our dynamic and supportive research community.
Informal enquiries are encouraged. For further project information please contact the lead project supervisor by selecting the first listed name at the top of this advert and sending your enquiry.
References
1. Ratanen et al. (2022) The Arctic has warmed nearly four times faster than the globe since 1979. Communications Earth & Environment https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00498-3.
2. Albon et al. (2002) The role of parasites in the dynamics of a reindeer population. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 269: 1625-1632.
3. Trondrud LM, Pigeon G, Król E et al. (2023) A summer heatwave reduced activity, heart rate and autumn body mass in a cold-adapted ungulate. PBZ 96: https://doi.org/10.1086/725363.
4. Trondrud LM, Pigeon G, Albon S, Arnold W, Evans AL, Irvine RJ, Król E et al. (2021b) Determinants of heart rate in Svalbard reindeer reveal mechanisms of seasonal energy management. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 376:20200215.
5. Chaussabel D. (2015) Assessment of immune status using blood transcriptomics and potential implications for global health. Seminars in Immunology 27: 58-66.
6. Correia et al. (2018) RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) reveals extremely low levels of reticulocyte-derived globin gene transcripts in peripheral blood from horses (Equus caballus) and cattle (Bos taurus). Frontiers in Genetics 9: 278.
阿伯丁大学 PhD Position in QUARTILES DLA: Harnessing blood transcriptomics to explore physiological trade-offs in an Arctic ungulate项目有没有奖学金，是不是全奖Phd招生，下面我们一起看一下【大学名称】Phd的奖学金资助情况
项目资助情况
This 48 Month opportunity is open to UK and International students (The proportion of international students appointed to the QUARTILES DLA is capped at 30% by UKRI).
QUARTILES studentships include a tax-free UKRI doctoral stipend (estimated at £19,795 for the 2025/2026 academic year), plus a training grant of £15,000 to support data collection activities throughout the PhD.
QUARTILES does not provide funding to cover visa and associated healthcare surcharges for international students.
阿伯丁大学Phd申请条件和要求都有哪些？PhD Position in QUARTILES DLA: Harnessing blood transcriptomics to explore physiological trade-offs in an Arctic ungulate项目是不是全奖？有没有奖学金？下面我们一起看一下阿伯丁大学申请Phd直招需要具备哪些条件和要求，以及托福、雅思语言成绩要到多少才能申请。
申请要求
Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion is core to the QUARTILES Doctoral Landscape Award. We actively encourage applications from diverse career paths and backgrounds and across all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status, amongst other protected characteristics.
We also invite applications from those returning from a career break, industry or other roles. We typically require a minimum 2:1 in your first degree (or equivalent), but exceptions can be made where applicants can demonstrate excellence in alternative ways, including, but not limited to, performance in masters courses, professional placements, internships or employment – this will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and is dependent upon approval from the relevant host institution. We offer flexible study arrangements such as part-time study (minimum 50%), however this does depend on the nature of the project/research so will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
If you have any questions about your eligibility, please email us at quartiles-admissions@abdn.ac.uk
报名方式
申请链接
联系人
邮箱：quartiles-admissions@abdn.ac.uk
相关资源
扫描二维码
下载申请方APP
下载申请方APP
扫描二维码
下载申请方APP