Establishing the contact zone between clades of the California vole
Michael Nachman, Professor
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Integrative Biology
Applications for Fall 2025 are closed for this project.
A fundamental challenge in evolutionary biology is to understand how new species arise. The California vole is a widespread Californian rodent that appears generally uniform and is currently classified as a single species. However, recent studies have shown that the California vole forms two genetically distinct groups with reproductive isolation between them: hybrid males between these groups are sterile. Previous studies show that the documented geographic boundaries between these groups may have shifted over time. This project is focused on establishing the modern contact zone, to better understand the ongoing process of speciation.
Role: An undergraduate researcher is being recruited to assist with DNA extraction from museum samples, library preparation and sequencing, and subsequent data analysis. The student will be trained to use natural history collections and to perform basic molecular genetics techniques. Additionally, the student will be trained in basic population genetics and will be encouraged to participate in weekly lab meetings. Motivated students will have the opportunity to learn how to produce usable databases from low-coverage genomic sequencing, and how to investigate the genetics of wild populations using these data. Ideally, the undergraduate researcher will be able to develop this into a thesis project and will contribute to the authorship of a peer-reviewed scientific paper.
Qualifications: This position is open to students who are passionate about evolutionary biology or genetics and are well-organized with attention to detail. Preference will be given to students who (1) have molecular biology or laboratory experience, (2) have computational biology or computing experience, (3) desire to be involved with the project for multiple semesters, and (4) are motivated to carry a mentored project through to scientific publication.
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Isaac Linn, Ph.D. candidate
Hours: to be negotiated
Related website: https://www.nachmanlab.org/
Biological & Health Sciences