Vicki Suarez-Ulloa did a great job at her dissertation proposal defense last monday, she’s now officially a Ph.D. candidate, congratulations!!!
Graduate Student (PhD) positions available in Dr. Eirin-Lopez’s Chromatin Structure & Evolution Lab (Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University) starting in Fall 2016.
We are looking for enthusiastic, dynamic and independent students broadly interested in studying the interface between evolution, epigenetics and adaptation in marine organisms. Students would ideally have a B.S. degree in Biology or related discipline (academic training in biology, statistics, genetics and evolution) and must be proficient in English (both spoken and written). Candidates with additional knowledge on computer science and/or bioinformatics are encouraged to apply. Our research addresses the study of chromatin and epigenetics from different perspectives, most notably evolution, development and adaptation. To this end we use marine invertebrates as model systems in the lab, as well as a wide range of eukaryote groups in molecular evolutionary analyses. Our current projects combine elements from marine biology, toxicology, molecular biology, biochemistry, next generation sequencing, bioinformatics and molecular evolution to address environmental problems in the oceans. Our work requires good organizational and computational skills and the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team. Detailed information about our research is available at our website (chromevol.com). Follow us in Facebook (facebook.com/chromevol) and Twitter (@chromevol)
Potential research topics include (but are not limited to):
1) Characterization of epigenetic mechanisms underlying environmental responses and adaptation in marine invertebrates. This research addresses the roles of DNA methylation, histone variant modifications and other epigenetic mechanisms during responses to environmental stressors, notably by using bivalve molluscs and corals as model organisms.
2) Development of high-throughput “-omic” tools improving pollution biomonitoring in coastal areas. This topic focuses on the development of methods that can be routinely used to identify early exposure of marine organisms to genotoxic pollutants (e.g., microarrays, qPCR, proteomic analyses, etc.), specially in the case of commercially relevant shellfish, marine mammals and other megafauna.
3) Molecular evolutionary and phylogenetic analysis of chromosomal proteins in metazoans. This objective builds on the molecular evolutionary tradition of our group, studying the mechanisms governing the diversification/differentiation of gene and protein families across eukaryotes and their consequences for organismal evolution.
Related research topics are also welcome. Interested students will be required to apply to the Graduate Program in the Dept. of Biological Sciences at FIU (http://biology.fiu.edu/graduate/). Acceptance in the lab will be subject to successful application for Teaching Assistantship funds (TAs). Interested students are also strongly encouraged to apply for graduate research fellowships (e.g., National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship). In order to be considered, qualified candidates must submit a statement of interest, curriculum vitae, unofficial transcripts (GPA scores), GRE scores, TOEFL scores (if applicable) and summary of research interests in a single PDF file to Dr. Eirin-Lopez (jeirinlo@fiu.edu). To receive full consideration, applications and required materials should be received as soon as possible, and never later than November 30th.
See ad with more details here.
The latest publication resulting from our ongoing collaboration with the Bioinformatics Research Group (BioRG) at FIU’s School of Computing & Information Sciences is now available!. In this work (Computational methods in epigenetics), BioRG’s postdoc Dr. Vanessa Aguiar-Pulido (L) and Chromevol’s graduate student Victoria Suarez-Ulloa (R) lead a revision describing the main characterisitics of the various types of data generated during epigenetic studies, providing a description of the most common computational approaches used for their integrative analysis. Congratulations for such a wonderful job!
The Biomolecular Sciences Institute at FIU has awarded Chromevol with seed funds to investigate the epigenetic mechanisms participating in the responses of the Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) to Florida Red Tides (caused by the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis) in the Gulf of Mexico. This research is developed in collaboration with Dr. John Berry from the Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and it complements our work focused on mussels exposed to okadaic acid in the NE Atlantic. Tomorrow we’ll be doing the first oyster exposure experiments in the Ecotoxicology Laboratory (Dr. Gary Rand) at FIU, using K. brevis cultures provided by Dr. Kelly Rein in the core facility for the culture of toxic algae!
This Friday we are closing the 2015 edition of the “Worlds Ahead Marine Sciences Seminar Series” with the visit of Dr. Emily Monroe from the Dept. of Biology at William Patterson University. In this opportunity, Dr. Monroe will be presenting the seminar “Polyketide Synthase Gene Expression in the Florida Red Tide Dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis“.
The seminar will take place on Friday May 1st, at 12 pm in MSB-105 (BBC campus). In case anyone wants to attend from MMC, please send me an email to arrange polycom broadcast. Also, please contact me in case you want to meet with Dr. Monroe, there will be plenty of opportunities to interact either before or after the seminar.
As you know, Florida Red Tides constitute a major threat in our coastal areas, causing neurotoxic shellfish poisoning in marine organisms, affecting aquaculture and fishery industries, as well as producing respiratory distress in humans. Since many FIU folks develop active research on different aspects of this dinoflagellate species, this seminar promises to be a great framework for interaction, discussion and hopefully future collaborations!
Overall, a great closing for this year’s seminar series!!!. Many thanks to FIU’s University Graduate School, the Dept. of Biological Sciences, the Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Marine Sciences Program for their support. Many thanks to our graduate students for selecting a great representation of top notch speakers for these seminars and to all the speakers who visited our beautiful Miami.
Finally, special thanks to all of YOU who attended the seminars and the social events associated with them. Remember, THAT is what gives this seminar series a reason to be alive for future editions and new generations of students.
We look forward to seeing y’all next year! have a great summer!
Last week we had the visit of Dr. Steven Roberts as our invited speaker within the “2015 Worlds Ahead Marine Sciences Seminar Series”. In addition to enjoying a great seminar, we had the chance of exchanging many exciting ideas about future projects addressing the epigenetic basis of environmental responses and adaptation in marine invertebrates. Many thanks Steven!
Next week we’ll have the visit of Dr. Steven Roberts as invited speaker within FIU’s “2015 Worlds Ahead Marine Sciences Seminar Series”. Dr. Roberts is an Associate Professor in the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington (http://faculty.washington.edu/sr320/), where his research focuses on characterizing physiological responses of marine organisms to environmental change. In his seminar he will provide clues to answer the following question: “Does DNA methylation facilitate phenotypic plasticity in marine invertebrates?“.
We really think it does!!
The Chromevol group has many common interests with Dr. Roberts’ research goals! we really look forward to his seminar! The date is Thursday April 23rd at 12pm and the place is room MSB-105 at BBC Campus. The seminar will be followed by a “end-of-semester” BBQ, you’re all invited!
catch the full story at
http://news.fiu.edu/2015/03/fiu-scientists-unlock-tangled-mysteries-of-dna/85770
Dear colleagues, here is our exciting Marine Sciences Seminar program for the current semester. This series is possible thanks to enhancement funds granted by the University Graduate School and matching funds from the Marine Sciences Program, from the Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry & Biochemistry as well as from the College of Arts and Sciences. Many thanks!!!
Please note that given the high demand of polycom-able rooms at MMC, no reservations for these seminars have been done yet in the south campus. If you are interested in attending this seminar at MMC please contact jeirinlo@fiu.edu to arrange polycom broadcast.
Please distribute this flyer among your students, we promise exciting topics, great discussions, lots of interaction and a 80’s BBQ to close the series and the semester!
See you at the arcade!
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