Institute of Evolutionary Biology - Postgraduate Opportunities
The study of evolution: choose a PhD that puts you at the centre of
biology
One of the founders of modern evolutionary biology, Theodosius Dobzhansky,
once said that "Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light
of evolution". All organisms, past and present, are related in a common
phylogenetic tree; and all the diverse and extraordinary adaptations that
allow organisms to function have evolved through natural selection. Our
understanding of the history of life and the mechanism by which it has evolved
has influenced virtually every aspect of human society - from literature
to medicine. However, evolutionary biology is not simply a historical science.
Information on evolution and the application of principles learned from
the study of evolution also have many practical uses in diverse fields such
as geology, plant and animal breeding, computer science, and epidemiology.
Choosing to study evolution thus puts you at the center of Biology
Why study at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology?
The Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IEB) is a leading international
centre in this field, and includes nearly 30 research groups. It covers
a broad, range of research, with emphasis on interdisciplinary links, both
within the University and beyond. Research areas include evolutionary ecology
(including animal behaviour and social evolution); evolution of disease
(with links especially with malaria and immunology research), quantitative
genetics (including long-term studies of natural populations, and applications
to animal breeding), evolutionary genetics (including genome analysis and
experimental work with a variety of species), and evolution of development
(for example, of butterfly wing patterns).
There are around 18 Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (SHEFC) funded
academic staff plus about 10 group leaders funded by Wellcome Trust (WT),
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Royal
Society fellowships. These staff are supported by over 100 research, technical
and other staff, the majority funded from research grants. Together this
provides a lively intellectual and social environment, with several weekly
seminar series and journal clubs. At any one time, there are around 60 PhD
students and up to 15 Masters student, with about 30% from overseas.
Alumni Success Stories
What is Available?
Three higher degrees are available by research: PhD (3 years), MPhil (2
years) and MSc (1 year). There is also a taught M.Sc. in Quantitative Genetics
and Genome Analysis; PhD students in evolutionary genetics are encouraged
to attend relevant parts of this course. IEB also participates in two postgraduate
programmes run across Colleges by the Life Sciences Graduate Programme:
the MSc by Research in the Life Sciences, and the Wellcome Trust 4 year
PhD programme "The Cellular and Molecular Basis of Disease".
Each year IEB (along with its sister institute, IIIR) receives about 8 PhD studentships from the UK research councils to support postgraduate study for U.K. Nationals. Some University-funded studentships are also available for non-UK students, and there may be additional studentships for specific projects. EU and overseas students wishing to conduct postgraduate research at IEB are strongly advised to seek funding sources in their own country.
How to Apply
Please follow the guidance here.
Contact for Applications and Administrative Enquiries
Carole Ferrier
Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Institute of Infection and Immunology Research
University of Edinburgh
Kings Buildings, Ashworth Laboratories, West Mains Road
Edinburgh UK EH9 3JT
Fax: +44 (0)131 650 6564 Tel: +44 (0)131 650 5455
E-mail: Carole.Ferrier@ed.ac.uk
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