Global St Andrews and Macquarie Doctoral Scholarship - Biology (Dudaniec-Gaggiotti)

Project

In nature, potential evolutionary trade-offs exist between a species’ capacity to adapt to its pathogens versus its capacity to adapt to local environmental conditions. As pathogens attack, hosts can experience evolutionary changes that may be at the cost of environmental adaptation to novel or changing environments. Such interactions may be consequential in the context of a species' invasion success into new regions, as they may determine how invasions play out at landscape scales. The bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, though an economically important pollinator globally, is also an invasive insect in several countries. Bombus terrestris is native to the United Kingdom (UK), which is the source of the invasion in New Zealand (NZ), while NZ is the source of an invasion in the Australian island state of Tasmania. However, bumblebees remain absent from the Australian mainland. Notably, the economically devastating virus-transmitting Varroa mite of honeybees facilitates elevated transmission of highly pathogenic viruses, which can be transmitted to bumblebees via contact with honeybees during foraging. The Varroa mite is present in the UK and New Zealand, and although the east coast of the Australian mainland was recently invaded by Varroa in 2022, Tasmania remains Varroa-free.

This project is innovative in its linkages between population genetic connectivity and adaptive genetic variation with viral impacts. Distinctively, the project design enables examination of how pathogen selection pressures (i.e. from bee viruses and those related to Varroa) may trade off with environmental local adaptation in both native and invasive bumblebees. This project will use high resolution whole genome sequencing of bumblebees combined with climatic, landscape variables and data on local viral diversity, spanning the UK, New Zealand and Tasmania. Specifically, this PhD project will examine the following general questions:

1. How do patterns of landscape genetic connectivity and adaptive variation differ in B. terrestris between its native (UK) and invasive (NZ and Tasmania) regions?
2. How are viral taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity related to gene flow and local adaptation between sites, relative to the effects of landscape or climatic variables?
3. Are there trade-offs between adapting to pathogen impacts (e.g. viral loads) and to local environments, what gene functions are involved, and does this depend on being an invasive or native bumblebee?

These questions will be addressed using cutting edge analytical approaches to detect selection across the genome at landscape scales. The results will shed light on the evolutionary processes that determine successful insect invasions. The study will also help to predict the spread of bumblebees to the Australian mainland or other global regions, and specifically, how viruses affect this process. By identifying selection trade-offs with viral infection and local adaptation in native and introduced B. terrestris, this study is also increases understanding about how diseases interact with hosts during biological invasions. This project will provide knowledge relevant for managing pollinators under disease threats and climate variability, and therefore the sustainability of food production and biodiversity function.

The project will be managed jointly between the School of Biology at St Andrews and the School of Natural Sciences at Macquarie. The student will be supervised by Prof. Oscar Gaggiotti (St Andrews) and by Dr Rachael Dudaniec (Macquarie).

Informal enquiries regarding this scholarship may be addressed to Oscar Gaggiotti (oeg@st-andrews.ac.uk) or Rachael Dudaniec (rachael.dudaniec@mq.edu.au).

Value of award (per year)

The funding comprises a scholarship equivalent of a full-fees award and stipend for a period of up to 3.5 years. It is expected that the student will spend half of the scholarship term at the University of St Andrews and half at Macquarie University:

• For the period spent at the University of St Andrews, the scholarship will comprise a full fees award and a stipend paid at the current UK Research Council rate (£19,237 each year in 2024–2025)

• For the period spent at Macquarie University, the scholarship will comprise a stipend at an annual rate of AUD $38,500 (tax exempt, 2025 rate), paid pro-rata. A tuition fee scholarship will be granted for the period of joint enrolment up to 42 months. Macquarie University will also provide an airfare allowance for flights between Scotland and Australia up to a maximum value of $4,000 AUD to be arranged in accordance with the University’s travel policy.

Unless otherwise specified, the scholarships do not cover:

• Any continuation, extension, or resubmission period/fees.
• A research training grant or another equivalent award for research expenses.
• Support for travel, immigration, health insurance and related charges between the partner institutions.

Duration of award

Up to 3.5 years. The student will be expected to spend approximately half of the award term at the University of St Andrews and half at Macquarie University. The successful candidate will be expected to have completed the doctorate degree by the end of the award term. The award term excludes the continuation period and any extension periods.

Additional criteria

Admission and scholarship criteria of both universities must be met.

Applicants must not already (i) hold a doctoral degree; or (ii) be matriculated for a doctoral degree at the University of St Andrews, Macquarie University, or another institution.

How to apply

Submit an application/expression of interest by email to both Prof. Oscar Gaggiotti (oeg@st-andrews.ac.uk) and Dr. Rachael Dudaniec (rachael.dudaniec@mq.edu.au).

Applications/expressions of interest should include the following documents:

• CV including information about publications.
• Transcripts of most relevant/recent degrees.
• Information about thesis components (thesis mark, word count, weight/length in comparison to the degree overall).
• The names and email addresses of two academics who can provide reference letters
• Statement of suitability as a candidate for the project (max 500 words). The focus should be on how the training you have received during your studies will help you achieve the goals of the project. Please, explicitly describe the extent of your knowledge and training in population genetics, evolution, and statistical data analysis.

Applications for a scholarship will be assessed jointly by the co-supervisors. Following a successful application for the scholarship, candidates may be invited by the co-supervisors to submit an application to each university for admission into the program and award of the scholarship.

Please indicate in your application that you wish to be considered for this Global doctoral scholarship (Dudaniec-Gaggiotti). Applications should be submitted to the co-supervisors via email to: Oscar Gaggiotti (oeg@st-andrews.ac.uk) and Rachael Dudaniec (rachael.dudaniec@mq.edu.au).

Please contact us should you have any questions regarding the scholarship: pgscholarships@st-andrews.ac.uk or gr.globalprograms@mq.edu.au

Next steps

Successful scholarship applicants will be invited to apply for admission to both universities from mid-January 2025, and then formal outcomes of the position will be made, subject to provision of full application details and materials for entry to the programme on 27 September 2025 (for St Andrews starts) or 1 October 2025 (for Macquarie starts).

Successful scholarship applicants must meet all relevant entry requirements for admission including any immigration requirements that may be in place. Please see the advice on applying for research degree programmes at St Andrews and the PhD application guidelines at Macquarie.

Terms and conditions

Please read the University of St Andrews scholarships terms and conditions (opens in new tab).

These are applicable during the St Andrews duration of the award; please consult the partner institution for their terms and conditions relating to scholarships.

When will I know the outcome?

By mid-January 2025. Awards are subject to final signatures of contracts between the parties and successful admission to both institutions.