Offers for PhD students and PostDocs
We offer the PhD and PostDoc positions only based on specific calls. However, if you are a highly motivated candidate for a position, you can contact the leader of the research group and suggest your idea of a future collaboration (there are possibilities to obtain extra competitive resources for specifically motivated candidates).
Current call: PhD project topic “Immunological mechanism of host evolutionary adaptation to increasing virulence in a novel avian pathogen”
A four-year funded PhD position in avian evolutionary immunology is now open!
DEADLINE for applications POSTPONED to 9th April 2025 (https://forms.gle/ykPMJmJ5aNPeAg1a7)
Anotation: Despite their key importance for predicting the epidemiological trends in emerging diseases, the molecular mechanisms of animal immunity evolution in response to infectious diseases remain mostly unknown. In 1990s, a new strain of the bacterium Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), a horizontally transmitted, economically important pathogen of poultry, caused in the eastern United States an epidemic in a new host, a small songbird, the house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus). The infection causes inflammation of the periorbital lymphatic tissue (mycoplasma conjunctivitis). The epidemic has been gradually spreading westwards, resulting in a local decline of up to 60% in house finch abundance in some areas of the US. Populations on the west coast of North America are now also affected, while immunologically naive isolated populations still survive, for example, on the Hawaiian Islands. In areas of contact, MG exerts strong selection pressure on its host.
Recent results obtained in collaboration with our American colleagues indicate that the house finch is gradually adapting to MG. Contrary to expectations, however, the birds increase their tolerance, not resistance of the infection as predicted by the arms-race model. Therefore, populations adapted to MG suffer less from the disease (develop less skin lesions) at the same bacterial loads. In coevolution, the pathogen responds to this with stronger virulence, which contributes to its transmission. Our American colleagues have an access to house finch individuals from different populations, and also viable historical isolates of MG (from the 1990s as well as recent) available for infection experiments. This is a unique host-pathogen model system that allows us to describe the general immunological mechanisms of the host evolutionary adaptation to a new, highly virulent disease. This focus is now key to future development in epidemiology of infectious diseases.
The aims of the doctoral project are:
- To describe the temporal dynamics of gene expression changes during mycoplasma conjunctivitis in the house finch, using transcriptomic data from conjunctiva and other tissues.
- Based on these findings, create a sterile immunological model of the disease, which will be used to identify the key regulatory genes responsible for the tolerance adaptation to MG.
- To experimentally verify the immunological effects of knocking down the key candidate molecules regulating the strength of conjunctivitis in the finches.
- To map the variation in sequence and expression of selected inflammation-regulating genes among the populations of house finch differing in their coevolutionary histories with MG (Virginia, Iowa, Arizona, and Hawaii – a unique dataset is available for our research).
- With the help of our experimental model, to determine the differences in the immune effects of single, chronic and repeated contact with the pathogen, which can strongly influence the outcome of the evolutionary interaction of the house finch with MG.
This project is innovative in its interdisciplinary application of the modern -omics approaches and also in bridging the traditionally divided disciplines into evolutionary immunology, directing a new focus of infection biology.
Requirements:
Candidates should have a strong interest in avian evolutionary biology, immunology and molecular genetics. MSc degree in biology (immunology, zoology, genetics or related fields) and good English language skills are required. For the formal requirements, please check the university web page (https://natur.cuni.cz/en/admissions/doctoral-study/conditions-of-admission-procedure/programmes-with-commencement-in-october).
Offers:
We offer a funded PhD position for four years starting from 1st October 2025. The university rules guarantee that the student will receive at least 25000 CZK/month (equivalent of ca. 1000 EUR/month). Additional salary will be negotiated based on skills and results. The PhD student will be part of a young and enthusiastic interdisciplinary team (https://web.natur.cuni.cz/zoology/eei/team). Despite close collaboration with several co-workers, the project allows independent intellectual input. Collaboration with Dana Hawley’s research group (https://www.biol.vt.edu/faculty/hawley/index.html) opens the possibility of an internship at Virginia Tech, US. We expect at least three articles to be published in the course of the study in international peer-reviewed journals. Active participation at international scientific conferences will be encouraged and supported.
Application:
Applications are submitted through a Google form (https://forms.gle/ykPMJmJ5aNPeAg1a7). Applications delivered via postal service or e-mail will not be considered.
Links:
For further information, see the web of the Faculty of Science, Charles University (https://natur.cuni.cz/en/admissions/doctoral-study/menu), check the topic in the Student Information System (Here), or contact Prof. Michal Vinkler at michal.vinkler@natur.cuni.cz (no applications).
Offers for Bc and MSc students
We welcome all motivated students who wish to learn more about evolutionary and ecological immunology and immunogenetics. For Bc and MSc students there are no particular entrance requirements with respect to knowledge or skills. We, however, demand personal diligence.
Do your bachelor thesis in our team!
Research and business partners
We are open to a wide spectrum of collaboration with partners from the academic sphere as well as from the applied research, industry, and state and non-profit organisations.
Offers
- Expertise in the field of evolutionary adaptations in vertebrate immunity
- Highly qualified and enthusiastic human resources
- Genetic, bioinformatic and immunological analyses of biological data and samples
- Experience with animal field research
Requirements
- Access to publicly relevant host-pathogen systems
- New complementary technologies
- Access to animals or biological samples
- Novel methods in genetics, bioinformatics, cell and tissue culturing, immunophenotype detection and health monitoring