PhD Studentship: The Comparative Anatomy of the Mammalian Larynx

Cambridge Campus

Fixed-term contract for 3 years, commencing September 2025

A tax-free bursary of £20,780 per annum and a full fee-waiver.  

Principal Supervisor: Dr Jacob Dunn

Co-supervisors: Dr Emma Pomeroy (University of Cambridge), Dr Thomas O’Mahoney (ARU) 

About Anglia Ruskin University:

Anglia Ruskin is a vibrant workplace, and our university is recognised both nationally and internationally. We have ambitious plans for the future, and we are determined that our students and staff will realise their full potential. Our main campuses in the cities of Cambridge, Chelmsford, London, and Peterborough have been transformed with major capital investment. With an annual turnover of over £200m, we are a major force for higher education and one of the largest universities in the East of England.

About the position:

The larynx is the primary organ used for vocalization in mammals, housing the vocal folds and modulating airflow for sound production. Comparative anatomical studies of the larynx provide critical insights into the evolution of vocal mechanisms, revealing structural adaptations that underpin species-specific vocal capabilities. These variations reflect evolutionary pressures linked to communication, social behaviour, and ecological constraints. Understanding laryngeal morphology across taxa thus enhances our knowledge of vocal diversity, from human speech to non-human mammalian vocalizations, and informs broader studies in evolutionary biology and bioacoustics.

This PhD project will focus on the ‘Harrison Collection’, a unique collection of >500 mammalian larynges housed at ARU under Dr Jacob Dunn’s curatorship. This is the only substantial animal larynx collection in the UK, and one of very few in the world. The student will use laboratory and computational techniques, including diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography (dice-CT), geometric morphometrics (GMM), and phylogenetic comparative methods (PCM) for evolutionary modelling. Laboratory work will be conducted at ARU, and CT scanning will take place at the University of Cambridge. Both GMM and PCM are desk-based methods which will be undertaken in the Morphology Lab at ARU, where we have high specification computing systems. Some data are already available from ongoing research, meaning that specimens have already been scanned and are ready for downstream analysis. The student may additionally gather socio-ecological and/or acoustic data from the literature to analyse alongside morphological variation and gain a deeper understanding of laryngeal evolution.

About the Studentship:

A 3-year studentship is offered, intended to start in September 2025, providing a tax-free stipend of £20,780 per annum plus a full fee-waiver. Funding is also available to cover research costs.

Project location: ARU Cambridge campus, Cambridge, UK. Prospective candidates who would not be Cambridge-based are encouraged to contact the Principal Supervisor prior to application (contact details below).

Candidates for this PhD Studentship must demonstrate outstanding qualities and be highly motivated to complete a PhD within 3 years, as there is no additional funding available beyond this deadline.

Qualifications:

Applicants should have a minimum of a 2.1 Honours degree in a relevant discipline. An IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 minimum (or equivalent) is essential for candidates for whom English is not their first language.

In addition to satisfying basic entry criteria, the University will look closely at the qualities, skills, and background of each candidate and what they can bring to their chosen research project in order to ensure successful and timely completion.

Desirable criteria:

• A Masters degree, or equivalent experience/qualifications, in a related field.
• Technical competence in one or more of the following areas: data handling, analysis, and visualisation in R; geometric morphometrics; 3D imaging from CT/MRI scans; phylogenetic comparative methods; bioacoustics; anatomy.

If you have any questions about the suitability of your qualifications or experience, please contact the Principal Supervisor, Dr Jacob C. Dunn (jacob.dunn@aru.ac.uk), to discuss your application.

How to apply:

To apply, please complete the application form available from the website via the above ‘Apply’ button. Please ensure the reference ‘PhD Studentship: The comparative anatomy of the mammalian larynx’ is clearly stated on the application form, under the title ‘Outline of your proposed research’. Within this section of the application form, applicants should include a 500-word outline of the skills that they would bring to this research project and detail any previous relevant experience.  

Interested applicants should direct initial queries about the project to Dr Jacob. C. Dunn, the lead supervisor for the project via email: jacob.dunn@aru.ac.uk. You can read more about Dr Dunn’s research here: www.thepeergroup.org.uk.

For enquiries regarding the process and eligibility please contact SE-Research@aru.ac.uk.

Interviews are scheduled to take place in July 2025.

We value diversity at Anglia Ruskin University and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Closing date: 31st May 2025

Interview date: July 2025