The Schilder lab in the Department of Entomology at Penn State University is seeking highly motivated Ph.D. students to work on an NSF funded project entitled: “Ecophysiology of a host-parasite interaction causing metabolic disease”. This project concerns the interactions of a protozoan (gregarine) parasite and its Libellula pulchella (12-spotted skimmer) dragonfly host at local ponds that differ dramatically in water quality and infection rates, and will link ecology and behavior with experimental physiology (in the lab and field) whilst taking advantage of new genomics & transcriptomics resources in the L. pulchella system. Given the highly integrative nature of this project, this is an great opportunity to receive broad, multi-disciplinary training. In addition, there are plenty of opportunities to developing collaborations with excellent faculty in our Department and across Penn State’s campus.
If interested, please contact Ruud Schilder directly at [email protected] about project details and Ph.D. program application procedures as there are multiple programs through which students can apply. Please see our lab website for more information on this, and other projects: http://www.personal.psu.edu/rjs360/dragonfly_ecophysiology.html ------------------ Ruud Schilder Assistant Professor of Entomology & Biology 510 ASI Building University Park, PA 16802 814-867-6279
