Connectionists: postdoc at SNN and Keygene

[Bert Kappen]

Postdoc position available at Keygene and SNN, the Netherlands. 

Keygene is a biotechnology company that carries out innovative research
to advance commercial plant breeding by using a number of proprietary
genetic technologies and know-how. To expedite creation of new varieties
by its customers, Keygenes main focus is the analysis, creation and
exploitation of genetic variation.

SNN is a research group at Nijmegen University dedicated to
fundamental research in the areas of machine learning and computational
neuroscience. Specific topics are Bayesian networks, approximate inference
methods, time-series modeling, bio-informatics, expert systems, stochastic
control and collaborative decision making. The group consists currently
of 8 researchers and three programmers.

Keygene and SNN are collaborating within the area of in silico breeding.
Combining favorable alleles by crossing existing well-characterized plant
lines with a minimum of efforts is a major challenge in marker-assisted
crop breeding.  An optimal crossing scenario has to be found that
guarantees ending up with the desired combination of alleles in a single
new plant line with a predefined probability.

At Keygene, some initial research steps have been taken to develop
algorithms that avoid calculating all possibilities but still end up
with close to optimal solutions. The current project will built further
on these initial methods, further improving these and enabling putting
constraints on the chosen scenario, defined by demands from the breeding
practice.

For this novel research topic, we are looking for an ambitious and
excellent postdoc quantitative genetics.  The requirement for the postdoc
position is a PhD and a good track record in the field of bioinformatics
or machine learning.  The postdoc position is full-time for a period
of 3 years and will spend his time equally at both Keygene and SNN. The
postdoc will be employed by Keygene as part of the Keygene postdoc program
(see attached).

For more information see www.snn.kun.nl/nijmegen or contact
Prof. dr. H.J. Kappen (b.kappen at science.ru.nl, tlf. +31 24 3614241).


-- 
Prof. dr. H.J. Kappen         SNN     Radboud University Nijmegen
URL: www.snn.ru.nl/~bertk             The Netherlands			
tel: +31 24 3614241                   fax: +31 24 3541435
B.Kappen at science.ru.nl                mobile: +31 6 520 78 210