We are recruiting two PhD students to join the Laboratory of Systems Biology at TalTech. Both positions are part of our new project on heart health in farmed rainbow trout. The students will work with the same fish cohorts, bringing together complementary perspectives on how genetics and diet affect the heart.
Cardiac performance and metabolism
This student will investigate how genetic background and diet influence heart function and energy metabolism in rainbow trout. The work combines measurements of cardiac performance and electrical activity with experiments on respiration and metabolic enzyme activity.
Heart and cell structure
This student will study how genetics and diet affect the shape and structure of trout hearts and their muscle cells. The project uses tissue and cell imaging and quantitative image analysis to investigate structural differences between fish groups.
About the positions
Both projects aim to improve our understanding of cardiac vulnerability in farmed fish and to inform efforts to make trout farming more robust. The two students will collaborate to connect structural observations with functional measurements. Training in project-specific methods will be provided.
Each is a four-year PhD position. Applicants should have an MSc in biology or a related discipline, practical experience in experimental biological research, and C1 or C2 English proficiency. The planned start date is 1 January 2027, and the application deadline is 20 November 2026. Applications will be submitted through TalTech's recruitment portal when the individual vacancy announcements are published.
For further information, contact Marko Vendelin.