paleonet POSTDOCS, in MOLECULAR EVOLUTION and ANCIENT DNA (posted for R.Fortey)

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TWO POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS, in MOLECULAR EVOLUTION and ANCIENT DNA, are
available at the Dept of Zoology/Henry Wellcome Ancient Biomolecules Centre
at the University of Oxford.
Salary scale: RSI(A) 22,299 GBP per annum.

A BBSRC funded position (co-supervised by R. Fortey, NHM) will use fossil
records to investigate variation in molecular evolutionary rates, and the
effects on molecular clock estimates of past evolutionary events. The
project will use mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data and
maximum-likelihood methods to study the magnitude, and distribution, of
variation in molecular evolutionary rates across a number of phylogenetic
groups. The loci include RNA, protein-coding, and non-coding sequences, and
will permit investigation of the molecular nature of rate changes. The
taxonomic groups have well understood fossil records and phylogenetic
histories and will provide an independent test of molecular evolutionary
behaviour. This will be the first rigorous test of the ability of molecular
clocks to date past evolutionary events, and will create an important
dataset for the future development of phylogenetic methods. A background in
molecular rates, phylogenetics, evo/devo or genomics is sought.

A separate NERC funded project will continue macro-evolutionary studies of
extinct New Zealand avian taxa, using ancient DNA, phylogenetic and
molecular rate methods to reconstruct 15 Ma of island paleoecology. The
biota of New Zealand represents a unique evolutionary experiment, where
remnants from Gondwana evolved in mammal-free isolation until the Late
Holocene. Unfortunately, a poor terrestrial fossil record prior to the
Pliocene means there is little direct evidence of the evolutionary history
that led to a remarkable ecology dominated by insect, reptile, and bird
taxa. To recover this information, molecular data from some of the largest
radiations of the endemic avifauna, the ratite moas, will be examined using
well-characterised ratite molecular rates to detect genetic signatures of
palaeoecological events over the past 15 Ma. These findings will be
explored further, and tested in other endemic avian taxa (extinct and
extant).

Successful applicants will have dynamic research and publication records,
and will join a strong molecular evolution group, with excellent ancient
DNA, and modern molecular evolution facilities (  HYPERLINK
"http://evolve.zoo.ox.ac.uk";   http://evolve.zoo.ox.ac.uk ).

Informal enquiries to Alan Cooper (alan.cooper@zoo.ox.ac.uk), Department of
Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PS.  Further particulars
available from   HYPERLINK "mailto:sally.burton@zoo.ox.ac.uk";
   sally.burton@zoo.ox.ac.uk   Applications by c.v. including the names and
addresses of three referees should be sent to the Administrator, quoting
reference  AT 01044/45 by  14 December 2001.

________________________________________________
Dr. Jeremy R. Young     Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5286
Palaeontology Dept.           Fax: +44 (0)20 7942 5546
The Natural History Museum    Email: j.young@nhm.ac.uk
LONDON, SW7 5BD, UK
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/ina
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/hosted_sites/ina/CODENET