The study will use both ancient and modern sequence data produced as part of the National Geographic Society 'Genographic Project'. The project will investigate the impact and applications of recent advances such as the rates curve (Ho et al. MBE 2005), paleodemographic reconstructions (Atkinson et al. MBE 2008) and other issues involved in the molecular dating of human migrations and population movements, and the relationship to environmental and climatic changes over the past 100-200 Kyr. The work will involve collaborations with archaeologists, palaeoenvironmentalists and other members of the Genographic Project.
Desirable background. Experience and a strong interest in computational biology, phylogenetics, population genetics and mathematics

Genetic studies of sediments, rodent bones, and other biological signals such as stalactites from the home of the hobbits, Homo floresiensis, and surrounding sites on Flores and Sulawesi. In collaboration with Kira Westaway and Mike Morwood (U. Wollongong), Mike Gagan (ANU) and Jian-xin Zhao (UQ).

Desirable background. Evolution, ecology, climate/environmental change, sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleontology, fieldwork.

A unique deposit of preserved rodent bones and possum droppings has been found in Blanche Cave, Naracoorte, which provide a detailed record of environmental changes in SE Australia over a 40 Kyr time period, recording the impacts of climate change, Aboriginal landscape use, the Last Glacial Maximum, Holocene warming and the impacts of Europeans and introduced pests.

Desirable background. Evolution, ecology, climate/environmental change, sedimentology, stratigraphy, paleontology, fieldwork.

ACAD has a large collection of sediment samples from marine, lacustrine, and terrestrial (mostly cave) sites from around the world. This project involves recovering plant, animal and other genetic records to analyse climate and environmental change. It could be combined with the next project.

Desirable background. Sedimentology, stratigraphy, soil chemistry, biochemistry, ecology, paleontology, fieldwork.

The ultra low temperatures of Antarctic sediment and ice deposits are perfect for long-term preservation of genetic records. Working with Antarctic researchers, this project will analyse the genetic records of microbes, plants, and marine organisms from both terrestrial and marine sediment samples. New technological approaches will be used to detect extremophiles, and the full genetic diversity of these environments.

Desirable background. Evolution, sedimentology, stratigraphy, polar research, fieldwork.

A detailed genetic and ecological study of the impacts of climate change on a deep frozen ecosystem spanning a 130kyr time frame. The study groups will be plants and small mammals, and this project will examine the biological and genetic responses of populations to major environmental change - such as migration, glacial refugia, local extinction, and invasions.

Desirable background. Evolution, sedimentology, stratigraphy, polar research, fieldwork.

This project will further explore the issues of temporal dependency of molecular rates, ie changes in the speed of the molecular clock according to the time period over which it is used. This largely computer-based analysis will explore new discoveries about why this effect occurs, and how it might be corrected to allow for accurate dating of major evolutionary events within human evolution, domestication, biogeography and epidemiology.

Desirable background. Evolution, computational biology, phylogenetics, population genetics

New methods have recently been developed at ACAD to allow finescale analysis of ancient DNA molecules - including their length and amount and type of damaged positions, which would effect the accuracy of genetic typing. This new window into the way in which DNA degrades, and is affected by different types of environmental treatment (drying, washing, temperature, humidity etc) is of major importance for forensic studies. This project is in collaboration with several forensic groups, and the Australian Federal Police.

Desirable background. Molecular biology, chemistry, genetics, evolution, population genetics.

The La Brea tar pits, in the middle of Los Angeles, hold an amazing collection of well-preserved megafauna, including hundreds of thousands of bones of carnivores (wolves, bears, lions, saber-tooths etc). Many of the bones are extremely well-preserved, with extractable collagen and perfect morphological preservation - although they are deeply ingrained with tar. Recent studies at ACAD have demonstrated that it is possible to retrieve DNA from young specimens, and this has opened the way to largescale population level analyses of megafauna on a number of levels, ranging from phylogenetics to population genetics. Desirable background. Molecular biology, chemistry, evolution, population genetics.

The NZ wrens are the sister taxa to the passerines (song birds), which includes nearly 50% of all bird species. Their unique basal position means that they record the earliest characteristics of this group, and in addition they are one of the only large bird radiations in NZ. This project will reconstruct this phylogeny using ancient DNA, and analyse the timing of the radiation with respect to the Oligocene Drowning, a major genetic bottleneck in NZ's past.

Desirable background. Evolution, molecular biology, genetics, population genetics.

This collaborative study with Dr Ken Aplin, CSIRO, will use ancient DNA from the large numbers of rodent bones preserved in caves and archaeological sites throughout these areas to analyse rodent evolution, biodiversity and extinctions through time, in response to climate change and human habitat alteration. A key project will be to analyse Rattus rattus species complex, and to use this to trace the timing and nature of human migration patterns during the Neolithic. The project has the potential to allow a focus on evolution, population genetics, taxonomy, biodiversity, and archaeology.

Desirable background. Evolution, ecology, molecular biology, genetics, population genetics, fieldwork.