Background:
Due to the composite nature of lichens and how difficult it is to grow them under laboratory conditions, the lichen-inhabiting habit is severely underexplored in comparison with many other fungal lifestyles, even though it is widespread across the fungal tree of life. The lichen thallus is a particularly harsh environment, as the lichens themselves produce a large variety of toxic compounds and live exposed to high radiation, extreme temperatures and long periods of desiccation. Through the generation of genomic resources, we aim to identify the unique adaptations these fungi have evolved to their harsh environment.
The project:
In this project, you will generate metagenome assembled genomes of lichen-inhabiting fungi using DNA extracted from field collected material. During the project you will have the opportunity of learning about lichens and their associated microbes, as well as gain valuable experiences in the whole process: field collection, DNA library preparation, metagenome assembly and annotation and comparative genomic analyses. You will have the opportunity of exploring the biology of some of the most misunderstood and diverse fungal lifestyles. You will become a member of the ISOP research group and work under the supervision of postdoc Miguel Naranjo-Ortiz, postdoc Andreas Frisch and PhD candidate Veerle van Widen. ISOP values a positive, dynamic, and collaborative working environment.