The ecology and genomics of climate adaptation: mapping functional genetic variation in wild insect populations
- Primary Supervisor: Dr Vicencio Oostra
- Co-supervisor(s): -
- Studentship Funding: Awaiting CSC Funding Decision
- Application Deadline: 28th January 2026
- PhD Programme: PhD Biological Sciences
Project Overview
Genetic variation is the raw material for rapid evolutionary change, for instance to climate change or during invasions of new habitats. This variation is not equally distributed across a species’ range, and identifying hot and cold spots of genetic diversity can help predictions of where evolutionary adaptation is more likely.
Excitingly, new landscape genomics approaches have provided important insights into environmental drivers of genetic variation in wild populations. Importantly, these methods can link specific climatic variables to variation at specific genomic loci. Separately, functional genetic studies have identified key loci underlying important fitness traits, both in the lab and field.
In this project, you will combine landscape genomics and functional genomics approaches to test the role of functional variation in climate adaptation. Using computational methods, you will use existing published and unpublished datasets in butterflies and other insects. You will combine approaches from landscape genomics, ecology, functional genomics (e.g. RNAseq) and demographic modelling.
Specifically, you will a) map genome-wide genetic variation across species ranges for different groups of insects; b) identify environmental factors that structure this variation; c) test the role of functional genetic variation, compared to neutral variation, in adaptation to climate.
This is a mostly computational project, with the possibility of lab and field work, depending on your interests. Please get in touch to discuss before applying.
Research Environment
The Oostra lab (https://www.vicencio.eu/join-the-lab/) is a well-funded team consisting of 2 postdocs, 4 PhD students and 1 technician with broad expertise in evolutionary genomics, bioinformatics, and ecology, providing an stimulating intellectual environment.
We are a diverse and welcoming group of researchers who value collaboration and curiosity.
Full training in evolutionary genomics, bioinformatics, ecology, and statistics will be provided by supervisors and collaborators, by attending specialised courses, and through collaboration with other lab members. The lab’s major current funding is through an ongoing (2022-2029) UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=MR%2FV024744%2F2
Find out more about the School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences on our website.
Keywords: evolutionary genomics; climate adaptation; GIS; ecology; bioinformatics.
Funding & Eligibility
Queen Mary University of London has partnered with the China Scholarship Council (CSC) to offer a joint scholarship programme to enable Chinese students to study for a PhD programme at Queen Mary. Under the scheme, Queen Mary will provide scholarships to cover all tuition fees, whilst the CSC will provide living expenses and one return flight ticket to successful applicants.
Applicants must:
- Be applying for CSC funding.
- Be a citizen and permanent resident of the People’s Republic of China and hold a Chinese passport.
- Satisfy all eligibility criteria set out by the CSC and must refer to the CSC website for full details.
- Apply to QMUL by 28th January 2026. Late applications will not be considered.
- Submit ALL required documentation, including evidence of their English Language ability ahead of the CSC application deadline.
CSC application rules differ slightly for domestic applicants (students applying from China) and overseas applicants (students applying from overseas). Therefore, ALL applicants are advised to see the CSC website for full details on eligibility and conditions on the scholarship.
Entry Requirements
We are looking for candidates to have or expecting to receive a first or upper-second class honours degree and a Master’s degree in an area relevant to the project such as Biology, Ecology, Genomics, or Bioinformatics.
We seek applicants who are curious, willing to learn, and able to work independently and in a team.
Interest or experience in evolutionary and/or conservation genomics is essential, as are quantitative skills (e.g. statistics, handling large datasets, GIS), and/or experience in bioinformatics (e.g. working with Illumina data, computer programming in R/bash/Python, modelling).
We value diversity and encourage candidates with unique backgrounds and skills to apply, especially candidates from under-represented backgrounds, or who may have faced particular barriers. We are conscious that candidates may bring skills or experience that we have not listed here.
You must meet the IELTS requirements for your course and upload evidence before CSC’s application deadline, ideally by 1st March 2026. You are therefore strongly advised to sit an approved English Language test as soon as possible, where your IELTS test must still be valid when you enrol for the programme.
Please find further details on our English Language requirements page.
How to Apply
Formal applications must be submitted through our online form by 28th January 2026 for consideration. Please identify yourself as a ‘CSC Scholar’ in the funding section of the application.
Applicants are required to submit the following documents:
- Your CV
- Personal Statement
- Evidence of English Language e.g.) IELTS Certificate
- Copies of academic transcripts and degree certificates
- References
Find out more about our application process on our SBBS website.
Informal enquiries about the project can be sent to Dr Vicencio Oostra
Admissions-related queries can be sent to sbbs-pgadmissions@qmul.ac.uk
Shortlisted applicants will be invited for a formal interview by the supervisor. If you are successful in your QMUL application, then you will be issued an QMUL Offer Letter, conditional on securing a CSC scholarship along with academic conditions still required to meet our entry requirements.
Once applicants have obtained their QMUL Offer Letter, they should then apply to CSC for the scholarship with the support of the supervisor.
For further information, please go to the QMUL China Scholarship Council webpage.
Apply online