We are always open to inquiries from dedicated students in the fields of Bioinformatics, Molecular Biotechnology, Biology, and Agricultural Biosciences. Computational skills are especially beneficial for our work, particularly experience with high-performance computing (HPC), command-line tools, as well as programming knowledge in Python or R. If these skills are not yet developed, we typically recommend an internship with us to build a solid foundation. Please contact us as early as possible.
Possible topics for theses:
Investigating the Impact of Hexaploidization on Gene Expression in Oat: in this project, we compare gene expression in hexaploid oat species with their tetraploid ancestors. The aim is to explore how the addition of a new genome through hybridization has affected gene regulation.
Structural Variant Analysis in the Oat Pan-Genome: this project focuses on the analysis of SNPs and structural variants in the oat pan-genome. The goal is to assess genetic diversity and its impact on agriculturally important traits.
Gene Family Expansion and Contraction Analysis in Beta-Glucan Biosynthesis in Oat: this project explores the evolutionary dynamics of gene families involved in beta-glucan biosynthesis. The aim is to understand the genetic variations and their impact on beta-glucan content between wild and domesticated oats.
Identification of Paralogous Genes in Pan-Genomes: this project focuses on the analysis of gene duplications in the oat pan-genome. It investigates whether these genes show functional divergence and their role in evolution.
Exploring Drought Stress-Related Gene Families in Grasses: this project analyzes gene families associated with drought tolerance in cereal crops. It examines structural variants and their functional impact on the genetic diversity of drought-resistance genes.
Identification of Genes Unique to Specific Plant-Microbe Interactions: we regularly offer thesis projects within the TRR356 framework to analyze plant-microbe interactions at the genomic level. The aim is to identify genes specific to certain interactions between plants and microorganisms, such as pathogens or symbiotic organisms. The work also explores genes involved in different types of interactions. A particular focus is on comparing various plant species to understand the genetic mechanisms behind these interactions. The findings could contribute to strategies for improving pathogen resistance or promoting beneficial symbiotic relationships in crops.
Using the VG Toolkit for Graph-Based Genome Analysis in Hexaploid Oat: this project utilizes the VG Toolkit to analyze genomic variations in eight hexaploid oat lines that play a key role in drought stress resistance.
Benchmarking Bioinformatics Tools in Plant Genomics: One potential research focus is the benchmarking of various bioinformatics tools, such as those used for the automated functional annotation of genes and proteins. Both real and simulated datasets can be used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and suitability of the tools for specific applications. This provides a valuable foundation for selecting appropriate methods in bioinformatic analysis and is an interesting option, particularly for internships.