Towering Behaviour in Nematode Groups

Supervisor: Dr. Serena Ding (MPI-AB)

The Genes and Behaviour research group (https://www.serenadinglab.com/) headed by Dr. Serena Ding is seeking a doctoral student to join our team. We are broadly interested in how and why nematodes behave collectively. To address our research questions, we use a combination of genetic, behavioural, quantitative and modelling techniques to study a range of collective behaviours in groups of nematodes, including C. elegans.

We recently established ecological and functional relevance of towering behaviour as a mechanism for collective dispersal in Caenorhabditis nematodes (manuscript in review). For this PhD project, we aim to address some of the following questions:

1. How does strain sociality influence the decision to disperse collectively (in towers) versus solitarily?
2. How are individuals positioned within the tower over time, and how is the tower structural integrity maintained?
3. Which sensory mechanisms are involved in tower formation and response to a dispersal vector?

The successful candidate will join our interdisciplinary team at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior (https://www.ab.mpg.de/) and benefit from close interactions with the Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour (https://www.exc.uni-konstanz.de/collective-behaviour/) at the University of Konstanz.

Essential requirements:
1. MSc in biology, behavioural ecology, neuroethology, quantitative behaviour, collective behaviour, or a related field
2. Fundamental interest in biological phenomena and questions
3. Experimental and analytical capability, critical thinking, literature awareness, and attention to detail
4. Willingness and ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a scientifically and culturally diverse team
5. Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English

Desirable experience:
1. Hypothesis-driven experimental design and implementation in animal behaviour
2. Quantitative data analysis skills; proficiency in one or more programming languages (R, Matlab, Python)
3. Competence with C. elegans and/or fluorescence imaging techniques is beneficial but not necessary

The position is fully funded for three years, with the possibility of a one-year extension (TVöD salary scale 13, 65%). Starting date is flexible in 2025. The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunities employer (https://www.mpg.de/diversity-inclusion) and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds.