Research Assistant Labs - Fungarium Sequencing Project x 4 vacancies - fixed term (Royal Botanic Gardens)
To support the delivery of RBG Kew’s mission as a molecular lab research assistant working within a major Defra-funded programme to sequence 20,000 specimens of fungi and lichens distributed across the RBG Kew fungarium (the world’s largest fungal collection) and the NHM lichen collection over a four-year period, using a mixed approach of whole genome sequencing and barcoding techniques. Containing more than 1.25 million specimens including 50,000 type specimens of worldwide origin, Kew’s Fungarium is home to the largest and most complete fungal collection in the world, with many specimens being only available at Kew. These are complemented by over 5,000 lichen types stored at NHM. This molecular digitisation project will bring about a paradigm shift in the way fungi are identified and digitized with direct applications in agricultural, environmental, medicinal, and biochemical research.