POSITIONS OFFERED: MSc (1) & PhD (1)

Microbiomes & Food Webs

How are microbes involved in plant-insect food webs?

AIM: Develop an experimental approach to study how plant microbiomes interact with insects across multiple trophic levels to shape food-web resilience.

OBJECTIVES: In this project, we will manipulate the microbiome of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana to assess its influence on herbivore population dynamics and dispersal (OBJ1); evaluate the contribution of herbivores to microbial dispersal between host plants (OBJ2); and test how the plant microbiome affects the persistence of an insect food web (6 species spanning 4 trophic levels) (OBJ3). Although each member will have their own project, the team is expected to work collaboratively to reach the collective objectives. This project is part of a collaborative grant with Prof. Guillaume Blanchet (UdeS) and Prof. Terrence Bell (U. of Toronto).

The candidates should have a good understanding of data management and analysis. Knowledge in one or more of the fields of community ecology, microbiology, entomology, bioinformatics, statistics, metagenomics, is an asset.

Prospective candidates should contact me with the following information:

• Letter of interest* (1 page)
• CV
• Unofficial transcripts
• Contact information for 3 references

*Please include in your letter of interest any career interruption or factor that may have influenced academic performance such as maternity leaves, family responsibilities, medical leaves, etc.

Application review will begin on March 24th, 2025, and will continue until positions are filled. We encourage applications from women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ2+ persons. The positions are based at Université de Sherbrooke (Sherbrooke campus); a francophone university, but knowledge of French is not mandatory. The minimum scholarship amounts will be: 21,000$/y for MSc (2y) and 25,000$/y for PhD (4y). Additional funding will be provided to cover tuition fees for MSc and PhD students. Our team offers an inclusive work environment, respectful, healthy, and open to differences.

Join a young, dynamic, and welcoming research group!

Prof. Isabelle Laforest-Lapointe
Isabelle.Laforest-Lapointe@USherbrooke.ca
https://laforestlab.com

Prof. Matthew Barbour
Matthew.Barbour@USherbrooke.ca
https://www.mattbarbour.com