PhD Opportunity

CSIRO

PhD Opportunity The Statistical Genetics Team in the Division of Mathematics, Informatics and Statistics at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is seeking expressions of interest from students interested in undertaking PhD research in the areas of statistical genetics and bioinformatics. The research is part of the Food Futures National Research Flagship. It will be based in Brisbane, QLD but will include travel to visit collaborators in Adelaide and Canberra. The student will have an annual stipend of $AU26,670 over three years funded by the Australian Research Council and will also be eligible to apply for additional funding through the CSIRO top-up scheme.

Project:
To meet the world's increasing demand for food, plant breeders need to make the most of genetic information to create new crop varieties that are high yielding, disease resistant, and climate adaptable. CSIRO has made a major investment in the future of the food industry with the development of the world's first Multi-parent Advanced Generation InterCross (MAGIC) in wheat. This large-scale and innovative experimental breeding design combines the genomes of varieties from wheat-growing regions around the world. The products of this ambitious program represent an invaluable resource for the wheat research community to investigate the complex relationships between genotype, phenotype and environment. However, there is a critical need for enhanced statistical capabilities to determine which genes can reduce the cost and time required to produce wheat varieties that ensure a stable and nutritious food supply.

The overarching goal of this research is to give wheat breeders the statistical tools to fully exploit the latest experimental designs and genetic measurement technologies. The student will be involved in specific aspects of the project that may include:

analysis of wheat sequence data;

utilisation of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) to improve computational efficiency in searching for gene-gene interactions;

comprehensive modelling of the genetics underlying multiple traits while accounting for environmental and design effects.

The student will explore novel statistical and computational methods for analysing sequence and trait data in the MAGIC population. To be successful in this project, a student will need:

a Master of Science (by research) or First class Honours degree in a relevant discipline;

a solid background in statistical analysis and competency in statistical computing packages such as R;

strong written and oral communication skills;

Ability to work both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary team.

Prior genetics background would be an advantage.

If interested or seeking more information, please contact Dr Emma Huang (emma.huang@csiro.au).