Luke Dunning

Two PhD positions available to come and work with us - please share!

[1] Detecting rapid evolutionary responses to climate change in UK plants

tinyurl.com/ye262pk2

[2] Natural GM: The role of horizontal gene transfer in crop adaptation and evolution

tinyurl.com/32tkce2w

A fluorescent confocal microscopy image of a butterfly wing scale showing the surface and internal structures

We are looking for a physics/maths graduate with an interest in biology, or a biology graduate with strong computational/mathematical skills/interests, to join us as a PhD student working on biomechanical modelling of butterfly wing scale structure formation www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

A group of 23 people standing with their backs to a forested valley. They are a mixture of students and staff, many wearing binoculars. There is also a spotting scope at the right hand side of the image.

We’d like to say a big thank you to our visitors from @sheffielduni.bsky.social. We had a great time hosting you all this week, and were impressed by everybody’s enthusiasm and dedication to their field projects. We wish you the best of luck with the rest of your studies! @luketdunning.bsky.social

A group of ecology students stood in a rugged upland area of short grasses. They have binoculars and telescopes and are having something pointed out to them by a member of staff.

A Chalk Burnet moth sat on a dried grass stem. It is black with red spots surrounded by yellow borders.

A Bearded Vulture in flight against a cliff.

Staff and students at a lookout point. A member of staff is taking photos with a telephoto lens. In the background there are rising limestone crags.

With staff and students from @sheffielduni.bsky.social, we explored the Causse Méjean, an upland area famous for its rugged habitats, surrounded by deep gorges frequented by #vultures. We were lucky enough to spot Bearded Vultures, plus shrikes and some great #lepidoptera. @luketdunning.bsky.social

A group of staff and students looking into a white sampling tray next to a river.

A Spinycheek Crayfish.

A female Western Saddle Bush-cricket on the edge of a sweep net.

Students holding up a sweep net and looking at a bush cricket.

Day two with @sheffielduni.bsky.social, and we’ve been exploring field techniques. Kick sampling, GPS use, plus plant and terrestrial invertebrate surveys. Highlights were more mantises, Saddle-backed Bush Crickets, plus spotting crayfish in the river. @luketdunning.bsky.social

A Mediterranean Conehead Mantis sitting on a dried plant stem

A member of staff showing a mantis to a group of excited students

Three people close to the ground, taking photos of invertebrates with their phones

A Colchicum autumn crocus. The flower is pale purple with yellow stamens.

A great first afternoon with our visitors from the University of Sheffield. We explored the local habitats, seeing some fantastic autum wildlife including the Mediterranean Conehead Mantis. Other highlights were large Orthoptera, butterflies, and Colchicum autumn Crocuses. @luketdunning.bsky.social

Great collaboration with
@lara-pereira.bsky.social
@metallophyte.bsky.social
@paulineraim.bsky.social
@emilyrbaker.bsky.social
And many more not on bsky

Regulatory features determine the evolutionary fate of laterally acquired genes in plants Lateral gene transfer (LGT) is widespread in eukaryotes, including in animals and plants where it can fuel adaptive evolution and innovation. However, the factors that influence the integration and lo...

Awesome work led by @cfcollins.bsky.social looking at the factors that influence the long term retention of laterally transferred genes! A huge amount of work and awesome first PhD chapter

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Very excited to be awarded a NERC Pushing the Frontiers grant to continue our work on grass LGT, recruiting soon! 🥳

With @lara-pereira.bsky.social @jurriaanton.bsky.social @metallophyte.bsky.social & Roger Butlin

Know an Evolutionary Genomicist looking for a faculty position? Join us in EEB @utknoxville.bsky.social Position is open for studying any organism, but personally I have some botany bias. 🌱 Apply before Sept 19 for full consideration. apply.interfolio.com/170735 Please share widely. Thanks!

Gene turnover and contingency facilitated the repeated evolution of C4 photosynthesis in grasses In grasses, almost all species belong to two evenly sized clades (BOP and PACMAD), yet the >20 independent origins of C4 photosynthesis in this family only occur in the PACMAD lineage. Here, we identi...

New preprint using Aristidoideae genomes to identify genetic precursors to C4 photosynthesis at the base of the PACMAD clade - where all the C4 fun happens in grasses 🌾

Led by @lara-pereira.bsky.social & Ahmed

@colinplants.bsky.social
@biggenomes.bsky.social

www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...

Latest preprint. We tested the idea that dietary restriction (DR) is an ancient response.

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Across Drosophila the lifespan phenotype and the transcriptomic response to DR are conserved. Yet, many genes were Diptera (fly) specific. Mechanisms may not be conserved…

Extinction of experience among ecologists Fieldwork-based research and education in ecology are under multiple threats and are progressively declining. We call for greater attention to this ongoing loss of direct field experience within the e...

Great article highlighting the "ongoing loss of direct field experience within the ecology community" & why field work is so crucial for education & our ability to address the biodiversity crisis.
Extinction of experience among ecologists: Trends in Ecology & Evolution www.cell.com/trends/ecolo...

🙏

Horizontal gene transfer and its role in crop adaptation and evolution at University of Sheffield on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Horizontal gene transfer and its role in crop adaptation and evolution at University of Sheffield, listed on FindAPhD.com

Looking for a PhD?

Come work with us on Horizontal Gene Transfer in crops!

Deadline 14th March

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Horizontal gene transfer and its role in crop adaptation and evolution at University of Sheffield on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Horizontal gene transfer and its role in crop adaptation and evolution at University of Sheffield, listed on FindAPhD.com

Looking for a PhD?

Come work with us on Horizontal Gene Transfer in crops!

Deadline 14th March

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

The Idiot's Guide to Effective Population Size This is a reference manual for the elegant, yet hideously complex concept of effective population size (Ne), inspired by a classic, self-published manual of automotive repair ‘for the compleat idiot’...

Wow. This is sooo good. Echoing @urbanevol.bsky.social this user’s manual for Ne should be required reading for popgen and conservation genetics folks. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

More fantastic work on Silene by @metallophyte.bsky.social and team! Great to be part of the project

Loving the new lab door sign - thanks
@metallophyte.bsky.social

Great annual lab walk and Christmas dinner. The Peak District was bleak (but dry), the pub was warm and the company grand!

Associate Professor / Professor of Evolutionary Genomics
www.jobs.cam.ac.uk/job/49389/

Jilly Cooper can re-style the Narrative CV

But did like the suggestion of “Lateral Gene Club” for our lab group

Asking AI to suggest new titles for a grant on lateral gene transfer using film puns - my favourite:

“Indiana Gene and the temple of Genes” 😂😂

With “Finding Gene-mo” a close second

Worth the risk 🤔

A photo of the Sonoran Desert at night with a saguaro cactus in the foreground with the top glowing from the moonlight. A field of stars is visible in the sky behind the cactus.

Come join us in Tucson!! I am excited to announce a tenure track faculty position on the genomics of resilience
@uofa-eeb.bsky.social! Read more about the position in the updated link below! We will begin reviewing applications on December 9! arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...

Horizontal gene transfer and its role in crop adaptation and evolution at University of Sheffield on FindAPhD.com PhD Project - Horizontal gene transfer and its role in crop adaptation and evolution at University of Sheffield, listed on FindAPhD.com

Come and do a PhD with us!!

www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

A nuclear phylogenomic tree of grasses (Poaceae) recovers current classification despite gene tree incongruence Grasses (Poaceae) comprise c. 11 800 species and are central to human livelihoods and terrestrial ecosystems. Knowing their relationships and evolutionary history is key to comparative research and ...

A new grass phylogeny inferred from ~300 nuclear genes for >1,100 grass species 😳

doi.org/10.1111/nph....

A great collaborative effort from the Grass Phylogeny Working Group III

Thanks!!

Please can you add me 🙏

Thanks!