Five industrial PhD students to the Research School in Future Silviculture

We are looking for five industrial PhD students in the research fields of 1) drought resistance biology; 2) drought resistance breeding; 3) forest genomics; 4) forest microbiology and 5) forest pathology. The PhD students will join the Research School in Future Silviculture at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences which is part of the Wallenberg Initiative in Forestry Research (WIFORCE).

Application deadline: August 19, 2024

The Research School in Future Silviculture

The use and utilization of the forest is an issue where the balance between forest production and the environment is in focus. Growth in Swedish forests has declined over the past 15 years. In order to both sustainably use and safeguard forest biodiversity, a coherent basic science research program is needed that addresses large and complex issues and develops new analytical tools. Therefore, the Research School in Future Silviculture (2024-2030) has been established to address the future sustainable use of forests.

Industry collaboration

Each industry/collaboration-based PhD student will perform their doctoral studies at a Department at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. The employment will be at a company where the PhD student will gain practical work experience. The Research School aims to familiarize doctoral students with Swedish forestry and form a strong, professional and international network in both academia and industry.

Employment

• Doctoral studies at SLU
• 5-year employment at a company with 80% study activity as a PhD student (4 years) and 20% time for practical work experience at the company (1 year)

Job Announcements:

Industry and collaboration PhD student in droughts resistance biology

• Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology (SLU) – Sveaskog
• Main supervisor: M. Rosario García-Gil (SLU)

The objective is to generate new insights into the genetic mechanisms controlling drought adaptation in pine and spruce and to develop tools for assessing drought tolerance. You will work in seed orchards and controlled greenhouse experiments, using techniques such as transcriptomics, genomics, metabolomics, and remote sensing.

Industry and collboration PhD student in drought resistance breeding

• Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology (SLU) – Skogforsk
• Main supervisor: Harry Wu (SLU)

This project will quantify the genetic variability and genomic base for drought resistance for Norway spruce trees of the breeding populations and populations collected throughout the European species range. The project will develop new competences in genomic breeding and address challenges to incorporate genomics in traditional breeding program at Skogforsk. The combination of phenotyping, genotype-environment association and genotype-phenotype association in this project are novel approaches.

Industry and collaboration PhD student in forest genomics

• Department of Forest Genetics and Plant Physiology (SLU) – SCA
• Main supervisor: Harry Wu (SLU)

The goal of this Scots pine project is to (1) Examine the genomic base of local adaptation in natural and breeding populations to find genomic locations (loci) of adaptation for climate changes (2) Study the distribution of the adaptive loci in breeding populations thereby examining potential adaptation of current breeding populations to future climates and (3) Develop new strategies to adapt Scots pine breeding population to climate changes by genome-enhanced selection or assisted migration approaches.

Industry and collaboration PhD student in forest microbiology

• Department of Forest Ecology and Plant Pathology (SLU) – Holmen Forest
• Main supervisor: Judith Lundberg-Felten (SLU)

The goal of the project is to identify molecular, ecological, and practical aspects of ectomycorrhizal soil fungi that allow increasing drought resistance in pine seedlings. In your research, you will use a combination of cultivation techniques for fungi and seedlings, molecular work, and bioinformatics on genome and transcriptome level to identify key genes related to drought resistance in the genus Suillus. You will also perform an analysis of existing ecological dataset and literature to gather knowledge on the ecology of Suillus. 

Industry and collaboration PhD student in forest pathology

• Department of Forest Ecology and Plant Pathology (SLU) – Södra
• Main supervisor: Malin Elfstrand (SLU)

The goal of the project is to create knowledge about trees’ defense responses and develop methods that help forest tree breeders and forest nurseries to identify trees with a better ability to handle biotic and abiotic stress. In your research, you will use a combination of different methods such as population genetics, transcriptomics and testing resistance to root rot and Diplodia tip blight in pine under normal conditions and under abiotic stress.