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The effect of aging on body temperature dependent antioxidative capacity, and thus oxidative stress: the burden of heterothermyh (dr hab. Ulf Bauchinger)

Pursuant to § 7 sections 1 and 3 of Resolution No. 91/IX/2021 of the Senate of the Jagiellonian University of 29 September 2021 on the rules of recruitment for the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences at the Jagiellonian University in the academic year 2022/2023, the Director of the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences announces a competition for 1 doctoral student with a scholarship financed from the research project funds as part of the 4-year PhD programme in Biology.

Within the NCN-funded Opus 20 project entitled: "The effect of aging on body temperature dependent antioxidative capacity, and thus oxidative stress: the burden of heterothermyh”, a commission set up at the School will conduct recruitment for the 4-year PhD study programme PhD programme in Biology.
The project manager dr hab. Ulf Bauchinger offers an opportunity to complete the doctorate in the following area: "The effect of aging on body temperature dependent antioxidative capacity, and thus oxidative stress: the burden of heterothermyh”.
After the interviews and the evaluation of the candidates, the Chairman of the committee presents a report to the Director containing a list of candidates recommended for admission to the school as part of the research project.

Please upload your application into the Online Application System (open from 17.08.2022 r).

Schedule of the competition:

Opening of the competition: 17.08 – 05.09. 2022r.
Entrance exams: 8 September 2022 r.
Announcement of results: 12 September 2022 r.
Enrolment: 14-15 September 2022 r.

Project description:

As endotherms, mammals and birds have evolved the capacity to thermoregulate, an evolutionary achievement with profound impact on biology and ecology. Endothermy, however, does not necessarily entail a constant body temperature throughout a day, a year or a life time. Instead, many mammals are known to hibernate seasonally or enter torpor, reducing their body temperature by a few °C to several tens of °C below the normothermic level. Birds are known to also become torpid or and reduce body temperature during the night by rather a few °C with some exceptions of up to two tens of °C. These on first sight small temperature drops may, however, have profound effects on enzymatic activity. The rate of biochemical reactions in general, and enzymatic reactions in particular are highly temperature dependent, which also applies to enzymes that act as antioxidants against free radicals. They protect against the negative effects of oxidative stress through free radical scavenging and if this protective enzymatic action is reduced in its rate, free radicals may remain unchecked, which may lead to oxidative damage of biomolecules. Such oxidative damage risks functional integrity of biomolecules and is currently one of the most frequently forwarded driver of aging. This research is designed to understand how regulation of body temperature may be hampered by increasing age and how this impaired thermoregulatory capability may lead to increased oxidative stress when animals grow old. 
While it is well established for mammals, including us humans, that body temperature and the capacity to thermoregulate declines with increasing age, such data are virtually absent for birds, and in addition were never linked to oxidative stress. Our research project will provide thorough understanding how age in the context of senescence influences thermoregulation in birds. The second goal of our research is then to relate the thermogenic capacity of birds of different age to oxidative stress to test the hypothesis that body temperature is related to the rate of oxidative damage. 
For further information please contact Ulf Bauchinger (ulf.bauchinger@uj.edu.pl)

Candidate profile:

  • MSc in life science (biology, ecology, evolution, zoology or related)
  • interest physiological ecology and animal metabolism
  • experience, or at least interest in experimental work with birds /
  • excitement to perform research in an international team 
  • good level of spoken and written English
An additional advantage will be:
  • Achievements such as publications or conference presentations are considered advantageous 

 

I Formal requirements for entering the admission procedure 

Persons holding the professional title of Master of Science, Master of Science, or an equivalent degree in the field of exact and natural sciences may be admitted to the programme named PhD Programme in Biology at the Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences. 
As an exception, taking into account the best quality of scientific achievements, a person referred to in art. 186 paragraph 2 of the Act, who does not have a master's degree, who is a graduate of the first- cycle studies or a student who has completed the third year of long-cycle studies, but who still has the status of a student in the field of study mentioned above or who has completed such a course, may apply for the programme.
 In order to confirm the fulfillment of the condition referred to in Art. 186 paragraph 2 of the Act, the candidate is required to submit: 
two opinions confirming the best quality of their research work and the high level of advancement of such work, issued by a research fellow holding at least the academic degree of habilitated doctor or being an employee of a foreign higher education institution or a research institution, who has significant achievements in academic issues related to the curriculum. 
The director in consultation with the chairman of the committee shall resolve if the candidate fulfills the conditions referred to in Art. 186 para. 2 of the Act. 
 

II Qualification criteria 

The order of the candidates on the ranking list shall be determined by their final numerical result of the qualification based on the result of the interview (0-100 points). 

III Admission procedure 

The interview shall be conducted in English and assessed on a scale from 0 to 100. 
During the interview, candidates shall give a short oral presentation of research plans for their doctoral thesis, together with the reasons for the selection of the topics. Then they shall answer enrolment committee questions on the topic of the doctoral thesis and related issues. In the next part of the interview, they shall be given a summary of the publication to read and will have to discuss it. 
The knowledge of the planned research scope and the ability to use English shall be primarly assessed. 
The candidate's qualification result for the entire qualification procedure shall be the number of points obtained during the interview.
Final result calculation 
The final result of the enrolment procedure W shall be a number from 0 to 100 determined for all candidates as the number of points obtained during the interview.
 
  1. Documents required at the recruitment application stage: 

The documents should be loaded directly into the Online Application System (IRK). 
  • statement of support from a researcher holding the academic title of professor or the academic degree of doctor habilitated employed in the unit in which the study programme is implemented and who is the project manager about the possibility of undertaking scientific cooperation in a specific scope in the event of the candidate being accepted for the study programme at the Doctoral Schoolof Science and Natural Sciences;
  • an opinion about the candidate issued by a researcher holding at least the academic degree of doctor habilitated or being an employee of a foreign higher education institution or research institution who has significant achievements in scientific issues related to the discipline of life sciences; 
  • curriculum vitae (CV) with particular emphasis on scholarly achievements; 
  • documents confirming the academic achievements listed in the curriculum vitae; 
  • a certified translation into Polish or English for each submitted document drawn up in a language other than Polish or English. 
In addition, in the event of a candidate who is a graduate of a first-cycle programme or a student who has completed the third year of a long-cycle programme referred to in Article 186, section 2 of this Act: 
  • two opinions confirming the high quality of research work carriedout and the high level of advancement of such work; 
  • a certificate of being a beneficiary of the Diamond Grant Programme of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education or "Pearls of Science" if the candidate obtained. 

2)  Documents required for entry: 

  • the original OAS application printed out from the system, containing the photo; 
  • a photocopy and the original for inspection of: 
i. a diploma certifying the award of a master's degree, master's degree in engineering or an equivalent degree in the field of study, as indicated in the specific enrolment conditions, or
 ii. a diploma confirming completion of first-cycle studies or a document confirming completion of the third year of uniform master's studies and confirming the student status in one of the courses indicated in detail in the enrolment conditions, or 
iii. a document of completion of studies abroad, giving the right to take up studies in the country of issue in order to obtain a doctoral degree or recognized as equivalent with a relevant Polish diploma giving the qualifications listed in point b) i., ii; 
  • if the candidate has not yet been awarded such a diploma by the deadline for enrolment, he/she shall submit a certificate of completion of such studies and a written undertaking to deliver the diploma of completion of higher education studies giving the right to undertake studies in order to obtain the degree of doctor by the specified deadline; 
  • a photocopy and the original for inspection of: diploma supplement or official transcript of grades, and in the absence thereof, a student record book or another document containing the names of the courses and the grades received; for inspection: identity card or passport; 
  • for inspection: identity card or passport; 
  • the originals of all other documents provided at the registration stage; 
  • a certified translation into Polish or English for each submitted document drawn up in a language other than Polish or English. 
In the event of exposure to harmful, noxious or hazardous factors, the applicant will, at the time of registration, be referred for a medical examination by an occupational medicine physician. The candidate shall be obliged to deliver, within the time limit set by the Head of PhD programme, a medical certificate confirming the absence of contraindications to take up education.
 Candidates with a higher education degree obtained outside Poland are required to provide the following additional documents:
  • higher education diploma obtained outside Poland with an apostille or legalized 

Insurance: 

Each doctoral student, including a foreigner, admitted to the doctoral school is obligatorily subject to health insurance if he/she is not covered by such insurance on other grounds (e.g. employment relationship, contract of mandate, business activity, insured as a family member under 26 years of age, as the spouse of an insured person). The health insurance contribution is paid by the Jagiellonian University and is financed from the State budget. In addition, a doctoral student receiving a doctoral scholarship is subject to compulsory retirement and disability insurance and accident insurance. 

IMPORTANT: 

A person admitted to the doctoral school begin education and acquire doctoral student rights upon taking the oath. The Department of Personal Affairs reports doctoral student admitted to the School to compulsory health and social insurance at the commencement of education, i.e. from 1 October at the earliest. Until that time foreign candidates are obliged to cover the costs of insurance forthe time of travel, treatment, etc. individually.
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