Mycology News

Postdoctoral position– The Lutzoni Lab (under the supervision of J. Miadlikowska and F. Lutzoni), Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA

Duration: 2-year Starting date: January 2011

Project description: We are seeking an experienced systematist to conduct revisionary study on mycobiont and photobiont of the lichen genus Peltigera as part of the recently awarded NSF project entitled “REVSYS: Phylogenetic revision of the lichen-genus Peltigera (Ascomycota): Disentangling cryptic speciation, phenotypic plasticity, and hybridization”.
This project focuses, in part, on a detailed systematic revision of two species complexes within the genus Peltigera: P. canina and P. aphthosa-leucophlebia in North America and eastern Russia. The research involves traditional revisionary activities, e.g., collecting specimens, visiting selected European and North American herbaria, applying various microscopy techniques to characterize morphological and anatomical traits, performing TLC analyses, as well as modern molecular phylogenetic procedures, e.g., developing new primers, sequencing various loci, performing phylogenetic analyses. The ultimate goals of this project are to: 1) circumscribe phenotypically and phylogenetically (using existing and newly developed molecular markers) all species recognized in these two species complexes; 2) describe newly discovered species; 3) test for putative hybridization events; 4) database revised Peltigera collections; 5) characterize phylogenetically Nostoc associated with Peltigera species based on selected molecular markers; 4) prepare monographies for P. canina and P. aphthosa-leucophlebia complexes with species descriptions, maps of distributions and keys for identification.

Postdoctoral research activities: The postdoctoral researcher will be an integral member of the international team of Peltigera experts assembled for this project and will obtain a comprehensive academic and teaching experience, including: 1) day-to-day research needed for this systematic revisionary study and will assist J. Miadlikowska in the daily management of all research activities by the graduate, undergraduate and high school students involved in this project; 2) collecting trips and visits to herbaria; 3) responsibility for main monographic papers on the P. aphthosa-leucophlebia and P. canina complexes and co-authorship for other articles resulting from this project; 4) the presentation of results at national and international scientific meetings; 5) attend weekly lab meetings and seminar series, including Systematic Discussion group/seminar series at Duke and the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent); and 6) the opportunity to take graduate courses offered at Duke University.

Requirements: The ideal candidate will have a PhD in systematics, with extensive research experience in fungal (preferably lichen) systematics using traditional and molecular techniques. Excellent written and oral communication skills are also essential in order to communicate effectively with colleagues, the public, other researchers, and successfully prepare results of research for publication.

To be considered for this position, please send the following documents and information to Jolanta Miadlikowska (jolantam@duke.edu) and François Lutzoni (flutzoni@duke.edu), prior to October 31, 2010: 1) detailed curriculum vitae, and 2) name, address and e-mail contact information of two referees from which letters of support can be obtained.

The Department of Biological Sciences of Youngstown State University, Ohio, U.S.A. has a vacancy for a postdoc to work on the molecular biology of dimorphism in the medically important fungus Penicillium marneffei, see info here. Further details can be obtained from Chester Cooper, crcooper01@ysu.edu.