Open PhD Positions
1) Functional genomics of silk glands
2) Cell biology of scale development and structural coloration
3) Genetic architecture of wing camouflage
Martin Lab - The George Washington University
Applications Fall 2024
Start Summer 2025
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The Martin Lab (www.dnacrobatics.com) is seeking a motivated PhD student for expanding transgenesis and genome editing in the Plodia pantry moths, and apply these techniques to the study of silk gland biology and wing scale development. Plodia moths are a common pest of stored food products, as well as lepidopteran insects that are tailored to the laboratory thanks to their inbreeding resistance, low-maintenance, and ease of genetic manipulation. Both CRISPR and Piggybac modification both work well in our recent experiments, and we think this an extremely powerful system to tackle novel questions in developmental biology.
The specific topic is flexible depending on the personal interest of the candidate. The lab is primarily interested in wing developmental patterning, the cell biology of structural iridescence, and the biology of silk. Plodia could be used to search for silk gland-specific enhancers (evo-devo question : how did lepidopteran scales evolve from insect macrochaetes?), or the characterization of scale-building intracellular processes during development (cell biology question: how does the scale cell cytoskeleton organize precise ultrastructures?). Our butterfly model systems, such as Vanessa, Junonia, and Colias, can be used for the study of color pattern formation and scale nanomorphogenesis with groundbreaking microscopy tools (SIM fluorescent microscopy, SEM-FIB) : how do single-scales elaborate complex nanostructures, and how this system evolved to underlie the outstanding diversity of structural colors? You will join a friendly team in downtown Washington DC, a few blocks away from the National Mall monuments. Funding is available for 5-years, including 1-2 years of Teaching Assistantship and 3-4 years of research free from TA-ing (depending on availability of lab funds). The combination of salary and summer stipends amount to $37-40k/yr. Enrollment includes a standard benefit package including health insurance. |
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Qualifications :
A Master degree in Biology or equivalent, or 2-yr laboratory experience in computational, molecular, cellular, or developmental biology is ideal, but consideration is given to everyone including motivated students who may not have had the opportunity to get laboratory training. Experience working with DNA plasmids, confocal microscopy, genome editing, insect model system are a plus.
Admissions:
Applications are typically in the Fall with starting dates in the following August month, but other options exist. Spots are limited and the number of admissions into the departmental program vary year-by-year. In any case, you are encouraged to check out the lab publications to form an idea of the research we do and assess whether they it aligns with your ambitions! Please contact me (Arnaud Martin, [email protected]) with your CV, motivation statement, and contact information for two potential referees. Based on this information, I will advise if you should apply to the PhD program within the Department of Biological Sciences.
Info and applications here : https://columbian.gwu.edu/application-requirements
Please notice that there is an $80 application fee.
Official transcripts are required for final admission. The GRE is not required. Students whose English is not the first language are required to demonstrate proficiency with TOEFL scores, and may be required to take an university ESL class during their first year in the program. The university will sponsor a 5-yr F1 US visa to foreign students upon admission.
A Master degree in Biology or equivalent, or 2-yr laboratory experience in computational, molecular, cellular, or developmental biology is ideal, but consideration is given to everyone including motivated students who may not have had the opportunity to get laboratory training. Experience working with DNA plasmids, confocal microscopy, genome editing, insect model system are a plus.
Admissions:
Applications are typically in the Fall with starting dates in the following August month, but other options exist. Spots are limited and the number of admissions into the departmental program vary year-by-year. In any case, you are encouraged to check out the lab publications to form an idea of the research we do and assess whether they it aligns with your ambitions! Please contact me (Arnaud Martin, [email protected]) with your CV, motivation statement, and contact information for two potential referees. Based on this information, I will advise if you should apply to the PhD program within the Department of Biological Sciences.
Info and applications here : https://columbian.gwu.edu/application-requirements
Please notice that there is an $80 application fee.
Official transcripts are required for final admission. The GRE is not required. Students whose English is not the first language are required to demonstrate proficiency with TOEFL scores, and may be required to take an university ESL class during their first year in the program. The university will sponsor a 5-yr F1 US visa to foreign students upon admission.
