ELFT HÍRADÓ

[Gergely J Szöllősi <sszolo AT gmail.com>]

ERC.EvolutionaryGenomics

Fully funded PhD position in evolutionary genomics is available to join the 
ERC 'GENECLOCKS' project (http://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/207593_en.html) 
headed by Gergely Szollosi (http://ssolo.web.elte.hu) . The positions is 
offered for 3 years with the possibility of extension of one year. The 
position comes with a salary of  EUR 15,000 per year, as well as a travel and 
research funds.

We are looking for an individual who is highly motivated and is exited by the 
possibility of pursuing a PhD in Evolutionary Biology with a strong 
quantitative focus. A M.Sc. providing a strong quantitative background, such 
as physics, mathematics or computer science, is essential as well as 
experience with data analysis (e.g. in R) and/or computer programming.  

A central theme of GENECLOCKS is disclosing new sources of information for 
dating the first three-quarters of Earth's evolutionary history that are 
independent from both fossils and molecular clocks. Life's early history has 
remained terra incognita until now, because the fossils needed to calibrate 
standard evolutionary timescales are simply not available for microbial life. 
Microbial fossils are scarce and difficult to interpret in a phylogenetic 
context with confidence. In previous work we have shown that patterns of 
lateral gene transfer inferred from modern genomes encode a record of 
co-existing lineages throughout the history of life, and that we can use this 
record to reconstruct the relative ages of microbial groups from the three 
domains of life in deep time.

This discovery is a game changer for anyone interested in the history of 
life, from either a geological or genomic perspective. It demonstrates the 
existence of a new and abundant source of dating information that is 
inscribed in the genome of any organism, provided a gene transfer occurred in 
its ancestry. This constitutes the overwhelming majority of the diversity of 
life. 

The PhD student will develop with, and undertake a project under the 
supervision of Dr. Gergely Szollosi and will have to possibility to work 
together with and visit international collaborators (in Lyon, Bristol and the 
KTH in Stockholm).

To be considered, please send a single merged PDF to 
ssolo AT elte.hu
 that contains your CV including, academic transcripts, a statement of 
research interests (3 pages or less) as well as three academic references. 
Please include 'GENECLOCKS_PHD' in the subject of your email. 

The GENECLOCKS research group is lead by Dr. Gergely Szollosi ( 
https://scholar.google.hu/citations?user=sPrYT-oAAAAJ ) and is hosted at 
Eotvos Universities Institute of Physics in Budapest. The Institute of 
Physics has been included in the Excellence Group of European Universities, 
and has achieved top placement in the number of citations, the number of ERC 
grants, the time available for PhD research and the gender balance of 
master's students in the CHE Excellence Ranking. Budapest is a vibrant 
capital city with exciting cultural life, a unique atmosphere and affordable 
living costs (cf. https://goo.gl/86II3s ).

Please direct any enquiries to Dr. Gergely Szollosi 
(ssolo AT elte.hu,
 http://ssolo.web.elte.hu).