PhD position, Dissecting root exudation in boreal plants

PhD position, Dissecting root exudation in boreal plantsReference number SLU.ua.2024.2.5.1-4156Department of Forest Ecology and ManagementA PhD position on dissecting root exudation in boreal plants is available at the department of Forest Ecology and Management at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SLU.
SLU has an international character both in terms of research and teaching.
The department includes about 115 people of which 9 are professors.
Our mission is to advance the understanding of forest ecosystems and how these should be managed today and in the future.Dissecting root exudation in boreal plantsBiologyDescription:
Forests play a crucial role in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations.
Elevated levels of carbon dioxide increase carbon exudation from plant roots, but the impact of this process on nitrogen availability and consequently plant growth remains poorly understood.
Carbon exudation stimulates the growth of fungi and bacteria within the rhizosphere, the soil zone closest to the roots, influencing nitrogen dynamics and plant nutrition.
To optimize tree access to nitrogen and enhance growth, it is essential to understand tree root - microbe interactions.
A critical knowledge gap lies in the fine-scale regulation of carbon exudation by plant roots.
This PhD project addresses this gap by investigating the mechanisms underlying root exudation and its regulation.
The doctoral candidate will mainly work under axenic conditions at fine root scale with boreal plants.
Root exudates will be analysed with different LC-MS and GC-MS methods in close collaboration with the Swedish Metabolomics Centre.
The project is led by Sandra Jämtgård, Department of Forest Ecology and Management, SLU in collaboration with Peter Marhavý, Umeå Plant Science Centre, UPSC and Clydecia Spitzer, SLU.
The doctoral candidate will be part of a multidisciplinary research team with expertise spanning plant physiology, forest ecophysiology, metabolomics, and transcriptomics, which provides good conditions for scientific exchange and discussion.Qualifications:
The qualifications required for this position are:
A master's degree in biology, plant physiology, biochemistry or a related subjectExperience in axenic cultivation of plantsExperience with univariate and multivariate analysis on a range of data typesFluent in English, and be able to write, communicate and interact in an English-speaking environmentMerits:
Experience in LC-MS and/or GC-MS analysisExperience in confocal microscopyExperience in transcriptomicsIt is also of merit to show good cooperation skills and work independentlyPlace of work:
Employment as PhD student, full time for 4 years.
During spring 2025, according to agreement.Application:
Click the 'Apply' button to submit your application.
The deadline is 2025-02-18.
The following must be attached to the application:
Cover letter describing yourself and showing your motivation for applying for this position (max.
2 pages, in English)Master thesisCV, including date of graduation, list of published works and names and contact details of two referencesCopy of diploma, as well as other relevant certificatesTo qualify for third-cycle (Doctoral) courses and study programmes, you must have a second-cycle (Master's) qualification.
Alternatively, you must have conducted a minimum of four years of full-time study, of which a minimum of one year at second-cycle level.Please note that applicants invited to interview must submit attested copies of their degree certificate, or equivalent, a transcript of records from previous first and second-cycle studies at a university or higher education institution.
Applicants who are not Swedish citizens need to submit an attested copy of their passport's information page containing their photograph and personal details.Contact person:
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