The Net Effect of Sex on Adaptation

Project Code: GRIESHOP_UEA_ARIES27

The Net Effect of Sex on Adaptation

Project Code: GRIESHOP_UEA_ARIES27

Project Description

Supervisors

Dr Karl Grieshop, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia – contact me

Professor Tracey Chapman, School of Biological Sciences, UEA

Dr Anders Bergström, School of Biological Sciences, UEA

 

Scientific Background:

Why is sexual reproduction nearly ubiquitous among eukaryotes? Investing into offspring that are only half yours is known as the 2-fold cost of sex. What stops an asexual mutant lineage from invading and taking over? One hypothesis is that sex allows more efficient purging of deleterious mutations from the genome. But not all genetic variation is selected in such a sexually concordant (SC) way. Sexually antagonistic (SA) genetic variation, where opposite alleles are fitter in males versus females, can drive populations toward extinction and/or maintain genetic variation for future adaptation. The relative impact of SA versus SC selection in the long-run remains untested. This integrative project will advance our understanding of the impact of sex on evolutionary adaptation with relevance to wildlife management, preparing you for careers in academia and industry alike.

 

Research Objectives and Methodology:

The research integrates comparative genomics in Drosophila with population genetic simulations:

  1. What is the net effect of males?

– Computer simulations in SLiM to establish the theoretical net effect of SA and SC selection on population viability and adaptation.

  1. Is sex-specific selection adaptive in the long-run?

– Comparing lab-estimated genomic targets of selection among ten Drosophila species.

  1. How do facultatively asexual species differ?

– Contrasting genomic targets of sex-specific selection between ten obligate sexual versus six facultatively asexual species of Drosophila.

  1. How has sex-specific selection shaped Drosophila’s temperate-climate adaptation?

– Population genomic analyses of SA and SC genomic targets in relation to Drosophila’s recent adaptation out of Africa.

 

Training:

UEA is an enriching research environment, part of the broader Norwich Research Park including numerous biotech institutes offering bioinformatic training and support. The department features a highly collaborative community of leading experts in evolutionary biology and forms part of the Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation. You will receive direct training from the primary supervisor (KG) and his lab in evolutionary theory, population genetics, Drosophila husbandry, experimental design, biological statistics, bioinformatics, and scientific writing.

 

Person Specification

Degree in biology / ecology / evolution / genetics / similar

Helpful skills: Drosophila experience, evolutionary knowledge, enthusiasm to learn statistics / coding / bioinformatics.

References

  • Grieshop, K., Maurizio, P. L., Arnqvist, G., & Berger, D. (2021). Selection in males purges the mutation load on female fitness. Evolution Letters, 5(4), 328-343.
  • Grieshop, K., Liu, M. J., Frost, R. S., Lindsay, M. P., Bayoumi, M., Brengdahl, M. I., ... & Agrawal, A. F. (2025). Expression divergence in response to sex-biased selection. Molecular biology and evolution, 42(7), msaf099.
  • Grieshop, K., Ho, E. K., & Kasimatis, K. R. (2024). Dominance reversals: the resolution of genetic conflict and maintenance of genetic variation. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 291(2018), 20232816.
  • Li, F., Rane, R. V., Luria, V., Xiong, Z., Chen, J., Li, Z., ... & Zhang, G. (2022). Phylogenomic analyses of the genus Drosophila reveals genomic signals of climate adaptation. Molecular Ecology Resources, 22(4), 1559-1581.
  • Nunez, J. C., Coronado-Zamora, M., Gautier, M., Kapun, M., Steindl, S., Ometto, L., ... & Gonzalez, J. (2025). Footprints of worldwide adaptation in structured populations of Drosophila melanogaster through the expanded dest 2.0 genomic resource. Molecular biology and evolution, 42(8), msaf132.

Key Information

  • This studentship has been shortlisted for funding under the UKRI NERC DLA funding scheme and will commence on 1 October 2027. The closing date for applications is 23:59 on 16 December 2026.
  • Successful candidates who meet UKRI’s eligibility criteria will be awarded a fully-funded studentship, which covers fees, maintenance stipend (£21,805 p.a. for 2026/27) and a research training and support grant (RTSG). A limited number of studentships are available for international applicants, with the difference between 'home' and 'international' fees being waived by the registering university. Please note, however, that ARIES funding does not cover additional costs associated with relocation to, and living in, the UK, such as visa costs or the health surcharge.
  • ARIES postgraduate researchers (PGRs) benefit from bespoke training and ARIES provides £2,500 to every student for access to external training, travel and conferences, on top of all Research Costs associated with the project. Excellent applicants from quantitative disciplines with limited experience in environmental sciences may be considered for an additional 3-month stipend to take advanced-level courses. Excellent applicants from quantitative disciplines with limited experience in environmental sciences may be considered for an additional 3-month stipend to take advanced-level courses.
  • ARIES is committed to equality, diversity, widening participation and inclusion in all areas of its operation. We encourage enquiries and applications from all sections of the community regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation and transgender status. Academic qualifications are considered alongside non-academic experience, and our recruitment process considers potential with the same weighting as past experience.
  • All ARIES studentships may be undertaken on a part-time or full-time basis. International applicants should check whether there are any conditions of visa or immigration permission that preclude part-time study. All advertised project proposals have been developed with consideration of a safe, inclusive and appropriate research and fieldwork environment with respect to protected characteristics. If you have any concerns, please contact us.
  • For further information, please contact the supervisor. To apply for this Studentship, follow the instructions at the bottom of the page or click the 'apply now' link.
  • ARIES is required by our funders to collect Equality and Diversity Information from all of our applicants. The information you provide will be used solely for monitoring and statistical purposes; it will remain confidential and will be stored on the UEA SharePoint server. Data will not be shared with those involved in making decisions on the award of Studentships and will have no influence on the success of your application. It will only be shared outside of this group in an anonymised and aggregated form. You will be asked to complete the form by the University to which you apply.
  • ARIES studentships are subject to UKRI terms and conditions. Postgraduate Researchers are expected to live within reasonable distance of their host organisation for the duration of their studentship. Please see https://www.ukri.org/publications/terms-and-conditions-for-training-funding/ for more information.

Apply Now

Apply now via the University of East Anglia Application Portal