[Coral-List] Postdoc or PhD student in Computational Biology of calcification of scleractinian coral

[Jaap Kaandorp]

Postdoc or PhD student in Computational Biology of calcification of scleractinian coral

The Section computational Science (University of Amsterdam) has a vacancy
for a PhD Student or postdoc for the project ``multi-scale modelling of calcification in
scleractinian corals ''

This project is financed by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) as part of its
Computational Life Sciences research programme. The project is a collaboration with the research
groups headed by Prof. R.P.M. Bak (Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and
Prof. D.J. Miller (James Cook University, Australia). The appointee will collaborate extensively
with molecular developmental biologists.

The central research aim of this project is to characterize the genes that control the differences
in coral morphology for related coral species. We will do this by making a quantitative comparison
of gene expression patterns, with a special focus on genes that are involved in the process of
calcification. To test the hypothesis that these genes can explain the differences in morphology,
we plan to use the estimated quantities in a simulated network controlling calcification. We intend
to study the emergence of the micro-morphology structure and link gene expression patterns to the
corallite structure. This polyp (corallite) based model will be coupled with a macroscopic growth
form model describing Ca2+ and HCO3- fluxes from the environment. A better understanding of
calcification in corals is of fundamental importance in research on the potentially detrimental
impact of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, decreasing ocean pH and carbonate
ion concentrations on the calcification process in corals and other calcifying organisms.

Requirements
The position is open to candidates at both the PhD and the postdoc level. All candidates should hold a
Master's degree (or equivalent) in scientific computing or computational science, computational physics,
computational chemistry or a comparable field. Candidates must have expertise in modelling and scientific
programming, an active interest in life science applications and the ability to work in an international
research team. Candidates who wish to apply for the postdoc position should also have a strong research
record (as evidenced by a PhD thesis and papers published in peer-reviewed journals), be fluent in both
oral and written English, and be prepared to travel to a another country and integrate efficiently into
a new research team.

Further information
Further information can be obtained from Dr J. A. Kaandorp, Section Computational Science, University
of Amsterdam, Kruislaan 403, 1098 SJ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; tel: +31 20 525 7539;
email: J.A.Kaandorp at uva.nl.  More information (application procedure, deadlines etc.) is available on
the website http://www.uva.nl/vacatures

-- 
Dr. Jaap A. Kaandorp
Section Computational Science
Faculty of Science
University of Amsterdam
Science Park 107 (new address name from 1-1-2009) 
1098 XG Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 20 5257539 / +31 20 5257462
email: J.A.Kaandorp at uva.nl (please note new email address from 20-5-2008)
fax: +31 20 525.7419
URL: http://www.science.uva.nl/~jaapk/