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Available Gradu projects in the PnP Group:

Research in PnP group aims to understand the genetic processes underlying adaptation and speciation in free-living populations and species. An additional aim is to use the obtained knowledge as the basis for developing conservation and management guidelines which can be applied in a wide range of endangered and exploited populations and species. Studies can be grouped into three related themes:

  • Population genetics
  • Ecological and evolutionary genomics
  • Evolutionary applications   

Our genetic research focuses on several study species and systems covering a range of ecosystems and geographic scales, including European grayling (harjus), Atlantic salmon (lohi), Arctic charr (nieriä), and Ficedula flycatchers (kirjosieppo).

We are always looking for enthusiastic students who are interested in accepting the challenge of applying advanced molecular methodologies to address research questions of ecological, evolutionary and conservation interest. Some projects include both field- and lab-work, while others are entirely lab based. Students following the evolutionary biology specialisation normally have the right background knowledge, but also students from other specializations are often suitable.

 

Our Post Doc Anti Vasemägi has several Gradu projects for which he is looking for a highly motivated graduate student who is able to work as part of a research group as well as independently. Prior research experience with bioinformatics analyses and/or molecular techniques is preferred but not required. 
Links below will guide to pdf-files in the bottom of this page.

 

Academy researcher Erica Leder has several Gradu projects in Evolutionary Genomics and Proteomics:

Background for Erica's projects:
The speciation process can be considered as a continuum from local adaptation of populations through reproductive isolation and divergence.  The term "local adaptation" refers to the evolution of traits that have high fitness in the environmental conditions specific to a population. Differences in these traits can be environmental, where the local environment acts upon a given suite of genes to allow for slightly different expression patterns thus resulting in a different phenotype, or genetic, where the expression pattern (phenotype) is different as a result of base pair changes at the DNA level. 

My research goals are to examine organisms at the molecular level in order to identify the mechanisms of adaptation and speciation, specifically which genes are important for local adaptation in the short term and reproductive isolation and speciation in the long term.  These mechanisms are likely to vary greatly from species to species due to differences in life history traits (e.g. different reproductive strategies), although many biological processes are conserved and share the same genetic components from mammals to fish (e.g. energy homeostasis, stress response).  I am currently examining the energy balance systems, thermal adaptation, and sperm competition as biological processes with probable effects on local adaptability and reproductive isolation.

Techniques for Erica's projects:
My strategy is to apply a variety of methods to address these questions including DNA based methods (microsatellites, DNA sequences, SNPs), transcriptomics, and proteomics.  The methods employed are specific to the question and the organism as not all methods are applicable for use with all study systems.  Depending on the project, the student will learn several of the following techniques:  DNA isolation, RNA isolation, protein isolation, DNA sequencing, PCR, primer design, real-time PCR, reverse-transcription, DNA cloning, DNA electrophoresis, protein electrophoresis, 2-dimensional electrophoresis, genotyping, mass spectrometry, and some bioinformatics (DNA or protein sequence searching, BLAST).

Objectives for  Erica's projects:
These projects are designed to allow the student to learn several techniques that will be applicable to any field of molecular biology, and at the same time address important evolutionary questions concerning these particular study systems.  Students should be well organized and capable of working independently on their own research but also contribute to the research group.
Links to pdf-files can be found from the botton of this page.

 

Tarjolla on myös funktionaalista genetiikkaa käsittelevä Gradu projekti:

alla olevasta pdf-tiedostosta löydät lisätietoja.

25.03.2011 13:15 Ville Aukee