A PhD position is available on human evolutionary genomics. The position
will be based at the School of Biological Sciences at the University of
East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich, UK, as part of the 4-year Norwich Research
Park doctoral training program, and supervised by Dr. Anders Bergström.
Modern humans are unique as a species, having spread widely and
transformed the world with technology and large-scale societies. But
until relatively recently (~50,000 years ago), there were many other
types of humans on earth, including Neanderthals and Denisovans. What
was it about modern human biology—if anything—that set us apart from
these extinct relatives and made our ancestors take over the world? This
fundamental question remains unsolved.
We can now tackle this from a new angle, leveraging the unprecedented
genetic data available in biobank-scale datasets. Genome sequences are
now available from half to a million people, meaning that we can expect
to observe rare mutations at a large fraction of sites in the human
genome. We can use this to try to narrow down what parts of our genome
are actually important for defining modern human-specific biology.
This project will analyse data from these ultra-large datasets, alongside
data from our great apes relatives and ancient DNA from Neanderthals
and Denisovans, to address the genetic basis of modern human biological
uniqueness. Interrogating the genome through the lens of genetic variation
observed across a million individuals has never before been possible in
genetics research, not even in model organisms, and promises to transform
the way we think about evolution.
The student will receive broad training in genomics, evolutionary biology,
bioinformatics and population genetics. They will develop skills in
large-scale data analysis and scientific programming. The student will
take part in journal clubs and departmental seminars, present their work
at conferences, and strengthen their abilities in critical thinking and
science communication.
The ideal candidate will have a background in a biological science
(e.g. genetics, molecular biology, evolutionary biology) or a quantitative
science (e.g. computer science, statistics, physics), and have strong
interests in genomics, data analysis and evolution.
Application deadline: 2 December 2025. Start date: 1st October
2026. Fully funded through the NRPDTP, open to applicants of all
nationalities. For more information, including on how to apply, see:
https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbiodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk%2Fprojects%2Fthe-genomics-of-modern-human-biological-uniqueness-bergstrom_u26dtp%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ceric.schultz%40uconn.edu%7Cb83bdc94f44143877d7608de11238aa3%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C638967041515946236%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=KtyB%2FA0%2FmfTMiOkLaEn5YxdqQuDi6IbwftCcMT5ZOVQ%3D&reserved=0
For informal inquiries please contact Anders Bergström:
a.bergstrom@uea.ac.uk
“Anders Bergstrom (BIO – Staff)” <A.Bergstrom@uea.ac.uk>