Highly motivated and hard-working recent Ph.D. graduates with research interests in plant biochemistry, molecular biology and genetics are invited to apply for post-doctoral positions in the broad area of molecular strategies for improvement of cereal and pulse crops. The present research projects are focused on the study and modification of carbohydrate metabolism in cereal endosperms, with special emphasis on starch and non-starch complex carbohydrates in wheat and barley. The department has state of the art laboratory facilities in molecular biology, genomics and crop quality, very productive crop improvement research programs and excellent field and phytotron facilities. The post-doctoral fellows will have ample opportunities to develop a comprehensive research project combining molecular biology with crop improvement programs. Two positions are immediately available:

A recent Ph.D. with strong research background and interest in carbohydrate structure determinations using modern analytical tools is needed to work on a research project to analyze starch and non-starch complex carbohydrates from cereal and pulse crops. Opportunity also exists to use the Canadian Light Source (CLS) synchrotron facility located on the University of Saskatchewan campus for carbohydrate structural analysis. Cereal structural scientist will have ample opportunity to interact with other colleagues developing genetic maps and QTL analyses for quantitative and qualitative carbohydrate related traits.

A recent Ph.D. in genetics with strong research background and interests in genetic mapping is needed for QTL analyses for carbohydrate-related traits in wheat and barley. Doubled haploid mapping populations (wheat and barley) that have been phenotyped for some carbohydrate-related characters are available. In addition a hexaploid wheat BAC library (5X) is also available in-house.

Interested students should submit their curriculum vitae and a brief statement of research interest to

Ravi Chibbar
Professor and Canada Research Chair in Crop Quality (Molecular Biology and Genetics)
Department of Plant Sciences
51 Campus Drive
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, S7N 5A8, Canada.
(Phone (306) 966 4969 or Email ravi.chibbar@usask.ca).