Funded PhD Opportunity, University of Leeds, UK: Deadline 8th January 2025 The evolutionary genomics of life-history adaptations in pinnipeds
Pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, fur seals and walrus) are keystone marine predators, and sentinels for marine ecosystem health. Advances in genomics technologies are opening up the possibility to identify and dissect the genetics and molecular evolution underlying the adaptions of pinnipeds to the marine environment and the startling variation in ecology and life history present within the family. Understanding these mechanisms not only provides fundamental insights into the process of evolution, but is also important for assessing species vulnerability and responses to potential future environmental change. Some of the unique adaptions of pinnipeds may also be of relevance to human health and therapeutics. This project will build on rapidly growing genomic resources for pinnipeds, including de novo seal genome assemblies generated by the Goodman/O’Connell labs and other colleagues in the Pinniped Genome Consortium. These provide an opportunity to use comparative genomics to examine key aspects of pinniped ecology and evolution including physiological adaptations underpinning different life-history strategies. For example, adult body size can range from less than 100kg in Caspian seals to more than 2000kg for male elephant seals, while weaning times vary from 4-12 days in hooded and harp seals up to 18 months in some sea lions, and 2 years in the walrus. Pinnipeds have also evolved lipid rich milk, with fat content for some species exceeding 60%. The ecological drivers of these differences appear to be related to breeding substrates and ecological feeding niche exploited by species. In previous work we have identified 100s of genes that show signatures of adaptive evolution unique to different pinniped lineages and species which may underpin these adaptations. Many of these genes are associated with key elements of lipid metabolism and milk properties. Our next aim is to understand how these genes have evolved across the pinniped lineage, and how past environmental changes created selection pressures shaping their evolution, and the evolution of pinnipeds overall. To do this we will use a variety of genomic approaches including de novo sequencing of seal genomes, molecular evolution and phylogenomic analyses, and population genetic studies at the genomic level. Secondly, we will also use multiomic approaches to understand the functional significance of amino acid substitutions between species in subsets of genes strongly associated with our traits of interest, and will evaluate how changes in gene expression might also contribute to evolution of traits such high fat content in pinniped milk, and tolerance of rapid fluxes of lipid in and out of blubber. Resolving the genomic basis of such adaptations is important for understanding many aspects of pinniped biology, but may also contribute to predicting adaptive responses of pinniped species to future climate change and loss of sea ice. Extended project description: https://yes-dtn.ac.uk/research/the-evolutionary-genomics-of-life-history-adaptations-in-pinnipeds/ How to apply: https://yes-dtn.ac.uk/application-information/ Supervisors Dr Simon Goodman, Dr Ian Carr (University of Leeds) Dr Kimberley Bennett (Abertay University) Prof Mary O'Connell (University of Nottingham) Informal inquiries: Dr Simon Goodman - s.j.good...@leeds.ac.uk, https://goodmanlab.org/ Eligibility and Funding Information: Competition-funded via NERC YES-DTN starting from October 2025. UK or International students eligible to apply. ============================================================ Dr Simon Goodman School of Biology, University of Leeds Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK Tel: +44-(0)113-3432561 Email: s.j.good...@leeds.ac.uk<mailto:s.j.good...@leeds.ac.uk> Web: http://www.goodmanlab.org/ Twitter: @DrSimon_Goodman BlueSky: @phoca-sapiens.bsky.social Sustainable Ecosystems and Adaptation Research Pillar Lead, Ecology & Evolution Research Group Lead, School of Biology Director of PGR Studies, School of Biology ============================================================
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