Higher Degree by Research Application Portal

Superabundant marine microbes such as SAR11 bacteria, Prochlorococcus, and Gephyrocapsa inhabit the ocean in astronomical numbers and have a profound impact on the Earth’s ecosystems, biogeochemistry and climate; for example, they form the basis of the marine food web and are responsible for about 50% of oxygen production on Earth. Understanding how these microbes adapt to their environment is critical to predict how their contributions to global biogeochemical cycles will be impacted by climate change. However, our knowledge of microbial evolution is based mainly on model bacteria with much smaller population sizes that inhabit very different environments. We therefore have a surprisingly limited knowledge of how the most abundant organisms on the planet have evolved. 

In this project, you will use a combination of bioinformatic and experimental approaches to study the mechanisms of evolutionary adaptation in superabundant marine microbes. A key emphasis will be on accurate prediction of the functional or phenotypic effects of diversity in sequence and gene content using state-of-the-art approaches for prediction of protein structure and function.

You will join a newly established research group in the School of Molecular Sciences and gain experience in state-of-the-art methods for genome analysis (including pangenomics and metagenomics), phylogenetic analysis, and prediction of protein structure and function. There is also potential to learn experimental techniques including protein expression and purification, biophysical techniques, enzyme assays, and X-ray crystallography.

Domestic and International Scholarships: Please consult the UWA Research Scholarships web page for more information.

Dr Ben Clifton (ben.clifton@uwa.edu.au). Please include a brief description of your research interests and experience, and an academic transcript.

Honours or Masters degree in bioinformatics, genetics/genomics, evolutionary biology, or a related field. A high level of proficiency in bioinformatic analysis, and a strong interest in marine microbiology and evolutionary biology are required. Some experience in biochemistry or structural biology would be an advantage.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a program of independent, supervised research that is assessed solely on the basis of a thesis, sometimes including a creative work component, that is examined externally. The work presented for a PhD must be a substantial and original contribution to scholarship, demonstrating mastery of the subject of interest as well as an advance in that field of knowledge. 

Visit the course webpage for full details of this course including admission requirements, course rules and the relevant CRICOS code/s.