This project seeks to understand how the environment influences the fate of cells over an animal's life, and how this influence originated in animal evolution. Using a sea sponge and multi-omic approaches, this project aims to uncover the mechanisms underlying global cell state changes that are induced through the interplay of environmental and endogenous signals. Because of the evolutionary position of sponges, outcomes of this project will contribute to deciphering the fundamental rules governing environmentally-induced cell state changes that are obligatory in most animal life cycles.
School of Biological Sciences
This PhD project is in the Marine Genomics Lab in the School of Biological Sciences. BIOL has broad expertise across ecology and evolution, molecular and quantitative genetics, paleobiology, developmental biology, behaviour, plant and animal physiology and conservation biology, and is one of the largest and most successful of its type in Australia, with over 200 enrolled PhD students. The Marine Genomics Lab has a comprehensive suite of advanced molecular, cell and microscopy infrastructure, and high performance computing and storage that covers all bioinformatic analytical needs, as well facilities for cultivation of marine organisms. The MGL is a dynamic and creative working environment, and consists of a diverse group of postdoctoral scientists and PhD and Honours students.