PhD position to study epigenomic diversity and altitude adaptation in Arabis alpina

PhD position to study epigenomic diversity and altitude adaptation in Arabis alpina

The at the Institute of Integrative Biology, led by Prof. Alex Widmer, studies plant ecology, genetics and evolution to investigate biodiversity of plants and fungi. The group consists of several research teams that work on diverse topics such as altitude adaptation genomics, plant physiology, herbariomics of historical plant specimens, as well as genetic diversity monitoring in various plant and fungal species. All of these teams closely interact on a regular basis, and also engage in collaborative projects and field experiments.

From August 2026, Dr. Thanvi Srikant will join the group as an Ambizione Fellow (grant awarded by the Swiss National Science Foundation) to begin her independent research team ("Epigenome Diversity lab") in the PEG group. She will study epigenomic signatures associated with high-altitude adaptation in the alpine plant Arabis alpina, and is looking for a motivated PhD student to join her team.

Project background

High altitudes are generally associated with reduced atmospheric pressure, reduced temperature, increased radiation and extended periods of snow coverage. How do plants growing at these altitudes adapt to such environmental conditions?

Epigenome features such as DNA methylation and chromatin modifications can strongly influence gene expression in the absence of genetic changes, giving sessile plants the flexibility to cope with changing environments. Studying epigenomic landscapes across and within plant species can therefore tell us how plants fine-tune gene regulation and adapt to their local habitats.

The Epigenome Diversity lab will study the alpine plant Arabis alpina which grows in diverse ecological niches and altitudes (from 500 metres up to 2900 metres above sea level). Incidentally, this plant species is also abundantly found in the Swiss Alps. The lab's research will focus on :

• Characterizing genomic, epigenomic and transcriptomic variation in natural populations of Arabis alpina from varying altitudes
• Investigating whether epigenome features are associated with local environments
• Investigating whether epigenome features can be stable across various growth environments and across generations

To know more about epigenomes, Arabis alpina and Thanvi's academic background, see the Epigenome Diversity Lab website.

Job description

We are looking for a PhD candidate to work on the project "Functional epigenomics of high-altitude adaptation in Arabis alpina", starting in August 2026. The student will be supervised by Dr. Thanvi Srikant and Prof. Alex Widmer. The position will be fully funded until the completion of the student's PhD thesis.

The PhD program at D-USYS (Department of Environmental Systems Science), ETH Zürich typically lasts three to four years on average. PhD students usually have to conduct research, study, and a limited amount of teaching duties. To know more about the doctoral program, click here.

We are looking for a candidate who is :

The student can start earliest on August 1st 2026 (preferable), and latest by October 1st 2026.

Profile

We highly encourage candidates with the following skills to apply :

We offer

The technical skills that the student will develop for the PhD project include :

Additionally, the student will also be guided to develop :

Dr. Thanvi Srikant strongly supports a collaborative work environment, and is committed to mentoring the PhD student for a successful academic career. The student will be encouraged to attend workshops and training opportunities for skills development, discuss broad scientific literature actively, and also take the lead in designing their project. Dr. Srikant and the student will participate in regular meetings of the PEG group, as well as scientific colloquia at the Institute of Integrative Biology.

Furthermore, the student will have access to state-of-the art lab facilities, including the Genetic Diversity Centre (which provides various equipment for the high-throughput preparation of sequencing libraries), plant growth chambers & greenhouse facilities at the ETH Research Station for Plant Science, and also an opportunity to learn from an interdisciplinary science environment at the Institute of Integrative Biology.

Working, teaching and research at ETH Zurich

We value diversity and sustainability

In line with our values, ETH Zurich encourages an inclusive culture. We promote equality of opportunity, value diversity and nurture a working and learning environment in which the rights and dignity of all our staff and students are respected. Visit our Equal Opportunities and Diversity website to find out how we ensure a fair and open environment that allows everyone to grow and flourish. Sustainability is a core value for us – we are consistently working towards a climate-neutral future.

Curious? So are we.

We look forward to receiving your online application with the following documents until January 31st, 2026 :

Please note that we exclusively accept applications submitted through our online application portal. Applications via email or postal services will not be considered.

Overview of the selection process :

1. Application submission through the online portal (deadline January 31st, 2026)

2. Shortlisted applicants will receive an invitation (before February 3rd) for an online / in-person meeting with Thanvi Srikant, and subsequently also with Prof. Alex Widmer.

3. The selected PhD candidate will be informed by March 1st, 2026.

About ETH Zürich

ETH Zurich is one of the world’s leading universities specialising in science and technology. We are renowned for our excellent education, cutting-edge fundamental research and direct transfer of new knowledge into society. Over 30,000 people from more than 120 countries find our university to be a place that promotes independent thinking and an environment that inspires excellence. Located in the heart of Europe, yet forging connections all over the world, we work together to develop solutions for the global challenges of today and tomorrow.