Computational PhD position on modeling Arabidopsis resilience to drought and temperature stress: We are looking for an enthusiastic PhD candidate to develop dynamical, process-driven computational models for the effects of combined temperature and drought stress on plant growth and performance.
The successful candidate will develop state of the art functional-structural plant models simulating plant growth dynamics and integrate these with the molecular signalling networks linking drought and temperature perception to responses in plant physiology, growth and development.
To arrive at the relevant molecular signalling networks, the PhD candidate will collaborate with experimentalists and machine learning experts. The ultimate goal is to identify the interplay between temperature and drought stresses and pinpoint the molecular hubs at which trade-offs and synergies arise that can be modulated through targeted breeding approaches.
The project is part of Crop-XR, a large Netherlands-based initiative aimed at increasing sustainability of agricultural practices by making crops less dependent on fertilizers and pesticides and more resilient to climate change and environmental stress. For this an increased understanding of plant stress responses is essential.
For this position we are looking for candidates with an Msc degree in Computational Biology, Biophysics, Applied Mathematics or a related field that have a strong interest in plant science and are keen to bridge biological and computational approaches. Experience with differential equation based modeling and programming are a requisite, while affinity with data analysis and bioinformatics will be considered a bonus. For more information and to apply please get in touch with me : m.l.garciagomez@uu.nl, and/or Prof. dr. Kirsten ten Tusscher: k.h.w.j.tentusscher@uu.nl.
Projects for internships
Students interested in developing agent based models of the intracellular transport of key root patterning regulators, please contact me: m.l.garciagomez@uu.nl to share more details.