10 fully-funded PhD positions in the field of animal conservation and cryobiology

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Innovative advancements in cryopreservation procedures will increase the efficiency of assisted reproductive technologies used in Europe’s important livestock and aquaculture industries, helping Europe to remain competitive in the global market. In addition, these technological advancements will be highly beneficial to future conservation initiatives through genetic resource banking, for the purpose of conserving the unique biodiversity of Europe’s many rare/threatened breeds of farm animals, which will act asinsurance against future threats such as disease epidemics and climate change.

The objectives of CryoStore are:

• to recruit 10 international Doctoral Candidates (DCs) to be assigned to a specific PhD course/doctoral project, to be monitored and supervised in their career development by the multidisciplinary expertise network of the CryoStore consortium.
• to provide high-level training in the fields of cryobiology, reproduction/animal breeding and animal conservation to a new generation of high achieving early-stage researchers to provide them with the scientific and transferable skills necessary for thriving careers within these disciplines. This goal will be achieved by a unique combination of ‘hands-on’ research training, non-academic placements and courses and workshops on scientific and transferable skills facilitated by the academic-non-academic composition of the consortium.

The CryoStore consortium consists of the following 8 European partners (Beneficiaries): Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Coordinator (Norway), Leibniz University Hannover (Germany), INRAE (France), University of South Bohemia (Czech Republic), Wageningen University Research (the Netherlands), French Poultry and Aquaculture Breeders Technical Center (France), National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research (Portugal) and IMV Technology (France).

What we offer

• CryoStore fellows will be employed according to the rules for doctoral candidates in MSCA-DNs and the general regulations of each host institution.
• The financial package will include the monthly researcher allowances subdivided into 1) a living allowance of around €3,400 (country correction coefficient applies), 2) a mobility allowance of €600 and, 3) a family allowance (€660), if applicable. Employer costs and other deductions depend on recruiting host.

How to apply

Applications need to be submitted through the online application platform which can be found on the CryoStore website https://www.cryostoreproject.com/. Alternatively candidates can contact the project coordinator Prof. Ian Mayer (ian.mayer@nmbu.no) or project manager Silje Modahl Johanson (silje.modahl.johanson@nmbu.no) for further details.

Application deadline: November 30^th, 2023

PhD Projects

PhD 1: Validation of improved protocols for the vitrification of teleost gonadal tissue. Location:  Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway.

PhD 2: Validation of improved protocols for bovine oocyte/ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Location:  Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway.

PhD 3: Non-invasive visualization of changes in reproductive cells during cryopreservation. Location: Institute for Multiphase Processes, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany.

PhD 4: Development of a directional freezing cryostage for cell imaging using multiphoton microscopy. Location: Institute for Multiphase Processes, Leibniz University Hannover, Germany.

PhD 5: Epigenetic changes after sperm cryopreservation in fish, consequences for the offspring. Location: Fish Physiology and Genomics Unit, French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, France.

PhD 6: Heritable and nonheritable changes in offspring produced via surrogate parents from cryopreserved germ stem cells in fish. Location: Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia, the Czech Republic.

PhD 7: Improved procedures for successful cryopreservation of porcine semen and oocytes. Location: Centre for Genetic Resources, Wageningen University and Research, the Netherlands.

PhD 8: Use of cryopreserved PGCs for the restoration of the complete genetic heritage of a poultry breed: validation, cost and transfer to the industry. Location: French Poultry and Aquaculture Breeders Technical Center, French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, France.

PhD 9: Minimizing adverse epigenetic modifications in cryopreserved native Merino sheep embryos in order to improve quality and survival rate. Location: Genetic Resources and Biotechnology Unit, National Institute of Agricultural and Veterinary Research, Portugal.

PhD 10: Sperm selection through female tract interaction for optimal use of preserved boar semen. Location: INRAE Nouzilly, Tours, and IMV Technologies, L’Aigle, France.