Do plants living in contrasting climates carry genetic signatures of adaptation?
This project investigates two natural populations of Iris atropurpurea growing under Mediterranean and desert-influenced climates that differ in key traits such as flower size. Using existing transcriptomic data, the student will develop a SNP-calling pipeline to identify genetic variants under selection and uncover candidate genes potentially involved in environmental adaptation, such as drought response.
This thesis offers hands-on experience in evolutionary genomics, variant discovery, and reproducible bioinformatics workflows while working with real data from wild populations. The project is ideal for motivated students interested in bioinformatics, evolution, and plant biology, and carries strong potential for scientific publication.
Thesis project for 30 cr (20 weeks) or 45 credits (30 weeks)
What we offer
✔ Real transcriptomic data
✔ Pipeline development
✔ Evolutionary genomics
✔ Publication potential
What you will learn
✔ SNP-calling from transcriptomes
✔ Identify loci under selection
✔ Link genetic variants to biological function
✔ Interpret results in an evolutionary framework
CONTACT:
Sissi Lozada Gobilard sissi.lozada_gobilard@biol.lu.se
Sofia Paraskevopoulou sofia.paraskevopoulou@biol.lu.se