Our lab adopts a comparative and integrative approach to research. Incoming graduate students could pursue lab or field-based research, or a combination of both. We approach research questions from multiple levels of biological organization: from genomics/transcriptomics, cellular metabolic physiology, and whole-organism behaviour, physiology, and ecology. Interested students are encouraged to read some of the recent papers on the Lab’s publications page to learn more.

The Welch Lab is part of the University of Toronto, the top research university in Canada and number 20 in the world according to US News and World Report.  The Welch Lab supervises students in both the Cell & Systems Biology and Ecology & Evolultionary Biology graduate programs at the University of Toronto. These are funded positions. Students are not expected to have external fellowship support (e.g. NSERC PGS/CGS) though they are strongly encouraged to seek such support.

Applicants are expected to be proficient communicators and should ideally have some research experience. Experience in related subdisciplines (physiology, behavioural ecology, molecular biology) is preferred. Applications are submitted through the School of Graduate Studies. See the applications pages on the Cell & Systems Biology or Ecology & Evolutionary Biology sites for more info. In addition, interested students are strongly encouraged to contact me by e-mail. E-mails should include a CV/resume, a sample of their scientific writing, an unofficial copy of their transcript, and the names and contact information for two references.

 

Undergraduate Students

NEW! All undergraduate research opportunities (including potential B98/D98 positions) are advertised and arranged through the Career Learning Network.

Please do NOT e-mail me directly to inquire about open positions. I simply receive too many of these to respond in a timely manner.

 

MSc/PhD Students

The lab is always on the lookout for outstanding MSc and PhD students.

Any physiological, ecological, and/or evolutionary-oriented student-proposed projects that build on existing lab research or move it in an exciting new direction, will be considered. Research in the Welch Lab involves significant lab-based AND field-based components. The proposed research will dictate the extent of student involvement in either lab or field-based work.

Students are expected to be accomplished communicators and to have some prior research experience. Please do not contact me unless you have a genuine interest in, and some understanding of, what our lab does. Students are encouraged to read some lab publications to improve their understanding of our work. Please note: I will immediately delete any generic e-mails that are clearly part of mass communications not aimed specifically at our lab.

Interested students should send a cover letter detailing their interest in the lab, a writing sample, their CV, an unofficial copy of their undergraduate (and if available, graduate) transcript, and the names of 2-3 research references to me via e-mail. Upon receipt of these items, I will respond with more information about graduate studies in the lab. All students must be admitted to the University of Toronto graduate program in addition to the Welch Lab, specifically. Please see the University of Toronto Department of Cell and Systems Biology and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology graduate application websites for more information. Please check the graduate program websites regularly for updates.

 

Postdoctoral Fellows

Fellows with external funding, or who wish to pursue postdoctoral funding (possibly with my guidance or involvement), are welcome to contact me at any time.

In addition to NSERC and CIHR postdoctoral fellowship programs, several additional specific opportunities exist: