Student Research Projects
If you are interested to conduct a research project (e.g. Bachelor or Master thesis, Erasmus, summer project, internship, etc.) please contact us. Note that TU Dortmund University has several programs for international students to join our group:
TU Dortmund campus features a field site consisting of around 70 nestboxes and 10 Intelligent nestboxes for Great tits and Blue tits, which offers a great opportunity to study wildlife in urban spaces. Each spring/summer, the breeding success of the birds is studied by visiting the nest boxes weekly to count the number of eggs and chicks. Simultaneously, environmental data such as temperature and humidity are collected in the nestboxes. Students are welcome to join the fieldwork or participate by analysing existing data and contributing to important research in urban adaptation.
Skills: field work, environmental data collection, wildlife monitoring, data analysis, programming, scientific communication (can be adapted based on your interests)
Level: Bachelor or Master
Project abbreviation: UrbanBirds
Contact: Aure Kylmänen, Toni Gossmann
We are seeking an intellectually curious researcher to study genomic architecture and the evolution of DNA base motifs in birds as part of the Computational Systems Biology group. The project will contribute to a broader understanding of how genes are turned on and off and the influences of these processes on organic evolution. The work will primarily utilize archival sequence data and be computational in nature. Prior computational skills are not required, but if absent the applicant should be excited to enter the fields of bioinformatics and genomics.
Request for potential project: toni.gossmann@tu-dortmund.de
We are seeking a highly motivated researcher to study the mechanisms of parasitic DNA (transposons) control in birds as part of the Computational and Systems Biology group. The project will contribute to a better understanding of how genes are turned on and off and the implications of this to the accumulation of DNA damage and genomic degradation resulting from transposons. The work will involve both wet lab and computational approaches. Prior experience is not necessary, but the applicant should be enthusiastic to learn skillsets in molecular biology and bioinformatics.
Skills: big data analysis, genomics, programming, Linux (all taught, but basic interest required)
Level: Master level
Project abbreviation: METRASI
Contact: Toni Gossmann, Justin Wilcox
For this project we are looking for a student to investigate genomic data of zebra finch embryos. Specifically, we want to contrast somatic and germinal cells using bioinformatic tools. The comparison of those genetic sequences in addition to the work with previously assembled germinal restricted chromosome (GRC) could help validating tissue selection and sequencing method of the GRC.
Skills: big data analysis, genomics, programming, Linux (all taught, but basic interest required)
Level: Master level
Project abbreviation: 12many
Contact: Toni Gossmann, Quentin Foucault
In this project computational methods will be applied to study genomic variation in the great tit (Parus major). Our research group has discovered sex specific and developmental specific genomic patterns in the genomes of wild great tit populations. In this project we want to elucidate the sources of these previously unknown genomic patterns.
Skills: Programming (Python, R, bash), genome biology, evolution, analysis of very large data sets
Level: Bachelor or Master student
Project abbreviation: darkGenome
Contact: Toni Gossmann, Nikolas Vellnow
We are looking for a motivated student to characterize a new measure for genetic variation and for exploring possible new applications for this measure. We recently developed a new measure for genetic variation, called pseudoentropy. In this project you would apply pseudoentropy to real-world genomic datasets or characterize its statistical properties via computer simulations.
Skills: Mathematics, statistics, programming (Python, R, bash), evolutionary genetics, analysis of large genomic data sets
Level: Bachelor or Master student
Project abbreviation: pseudo
Contact: Toni Gossmann, Nikolas Vellnow
This project aims to investigate the role of genetic variations in creating diverse coloration patterns among bird species. By focusing on a model bird species great tit (Parus major) with different plumage coloration, the study will identify key genes and their polymorphisms associated with pigmentation. This project will provide students with hands-on experience in genetic research, data analysis, and the application of scientific principles to real-world biological questions.
Skills: big data analysis, genomics, bioinformatic, Linux (all taught, but basic interest required)
Level: Master level
Project abbreviation: plumage coloration
Contact: Toni Gossmann, Sahar Javaheri
The ongoing revolution in genomic sequencing technologies has created an unprecedented opportunity to assess the genomic ‘blue prints’ of living things. Almost all such assessments, however, are conducted using a single reference genome. As many organisms utilize sex chromosomes as a sex determination system (e.g. XY humans and most mammals), there is a capacity for sexual differences in the reference genomes of organisms to influence all types of downstream analyses. This problem is compounded by the tendency of sex chromosomes to accumulate repetitive regions that map to many other parts of the genome, leading to genome-wide amplifications of erroneous base calls and estimates of diversity.
Skills: big data analysis, genomics, programming, Linux (all taught, but basic interest required)
Level: Master level
Project abbreviation: W(H)Y genomics
Contact: Toni Gossmann, Justin Wilcox
