University: RMIT University Faculty: Faculty of Science Project Start Date: flexible Application Deadline: ongoing Supervisor Name: Professor Donald Wlodkowic, donald.wlodkowic@rmit.edu.au Location (City/Campus): Bundoora West, Melbourne Project Description: Attention all PhD candidates with a passion for aquatic animals and the environment! We have an exciting opportunity for you to pioneer a ground-breaking project that will unlock the secrets of thermal preference behaviors in aquatic animals. This multi-species screening project will uncover the intertwined aspects of temperature sensing and neuronal data processing that are fundamental for dynamic thermal adaptations and ecological fitness. You will be part of an interdisciplinary team at the Neurotox Lab at RMIT University, one of Australia's leading experts in eco-neurotoxicology. Using state-of-the-art techniques including quantitative computer animal tracking, you will undertake a pioneering multi-species screening of thermotactic responses in aquatic animals, from native Australian invertebrates to fish. This part of the project will lay the foundation for the development of innovative ecotoxicity biotests. But the project doesn't stop there! In the following stages, you will explore and make new discoveries on how exposure to emerging contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, PFAS, and micro/nanoplastics, can alter thermal preference behaviors. This is of considerable importance, as thermal preference behaviors in aquatic animals can become key behavioral factors in toxicological assessment. Join us at the forefront of this exciting and rapidly growing interdisciplinary field, and be part of a team that is making a difference in the world. Apply now to the Neurotox Lab at RMIT University and discover the world of thermal preference behaviors in aquatic animals. Funding Information: The applicants can apply for RMIT Higher Degree by Research International Scholarship upon being granted an offer of admission to an RMIT research training program. The deadline for the next International Scholarship round will be 15th September 2023. Admission Requirements: Any significant achievements such as e.g. publications will greatly increase the success rate during the scholarship application process.