New Positions

Graduate Research Assistantships in Sea Lamprey Aquaculture, Metamorphosis, and Juvenile Trophic Ecology

That Lamprey Lab at Michigan State University (Dr John B. Hume; thatlampreylab.com) is recruiting graduate students to join a research program focused on the aquaculture, developmental biology, and juvenile feeding ecology of sea lamprey. The project is part of the wider Sea Lamprey Aquaculture and Procurement Initiative (Phase II, 2026–2029) which is a collaborative Great Lakes Fishery Commission-supported effort to develop reliable methods for producing larvae, transformers, juveniles, and eventually adult sea lamprey for research and management applications.

The research program will examine the transition from larval sea lamprey through metamorphosis and into a parasitic juvenile life stage, with an emphasis on comparing artificially propagated laboratory-reared sea lamprey and wild-origin sea lamprey. Core questions include whether laboratory-reared sea lamprey undergo normal metamorphosis, whether juveniles transition successfully to feeding on host fishes, and whether artificial feeding systems can be developed to support juvenile growth without relying entirely on live hosts.

I anticipate recruiting graduate students into three complementary project areas:

1. PhD project (Fall 2026): metamorphosis and juvenile physiology.
   This project will examine the timing, rate, morphology, and predictors of metamorphosis in laboratory-reared and wild-origin sea lamprey. The student will help develop a longitudinal framework linking larval growth history, metamorphic progression, body condition, and subsequent juvenile feeding performance.
2. MS project #1 (Spring 2027): juvenile feeding behavior and growth.
   This project will test whether laboratory-reared and wild-origin juvenile sea lamprey differ in host-seeking behavior, attachment success, feeding duration, wound characteristics, survival, and early parasitic growth when offered live hosts under controlled conditions.
3. MS project #2 (Fall 2027): artificial feeder development.
   This project will evaluate artificial feeding systems for juvenile sea lamprey, including the role of sensory cues, feeder design, blood or diet source, temperature, and tank context in promoting attachment, ingestion, repeated feeding, and growth.

Students will gain experience in aquatic animal husbandry, experimental design, fish behavior, ecology, invasive species management, data analysis, and collaborative research. Work will occur primarily at Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan and the USGS Hammond Bay Biological Station, northern Michigan. The project will involve close collaboration with agency (US Geological Survey, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Yakama Nation Fisheries), university (MSU, Wilfred Laurier, SUNY-Brockport, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Guelph) and other partners working on sea lamprey biology and management.

Applicants should have interests in one or more of the following areas: fisheries science, aquatic ecology, animal behavior, aquaculture, fish physiology, conservation physiology, host–parasite interactions, invasive species biology, or Great Lakes management. Prior experience with animal behavior, experimental design, or aquaculture systems is desirable but not required. More important is a curiosity for why animals do what they do, strong organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to work as part of a collaborative team, and an interest in applied research that connects basic biology with management needs.

Graduate assistantships will include stipend, tuition, and health benefits, contingent on admission to Michigan State University and final administrative approval.

Interested applicants should send a single PDF containing:
(1) a cover letter describing your research interests, relevant experience, and a short statement identifying which project area or areas are of greatest interest;
(2) a CV;
(3) unofficial transcripts;
(4) contact information for 2–3 references.

Please send materials to:

Dr. John B. Hume
Michigan State University
Email: jhume@msu.edu

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the positions are filled.