Jukka-Pekka Verta
@jpverta.bsky.social
Functional & evolutionary genomics • Associate Professor Nord University 🇳🇴 • Fish aficionado • Living above the Arctic Circle
FEG lab: https://feg-lab.github.io
FEG lab: https://feg-lab.github.io
First northern lights since the sun started setting again here above the Arctic Circle
October 1, 2025 at 7:29 PM
First northern lights since the sun started setting again here above the Arctic Circle
How do regulatory genes control alternative life histories? We have an open PhD position to answer this question using functional genomics in Atlantic salmon.
Apply by October 15th through www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Please share widely! 🧬🦑🖥️
Apply by October 15th through www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Please share widely! 🧬🦑🖥️
August 21, 2025 at 6:48 AM
How do regulatory genes control alternative life histories? We have an open PhD position to answer this question using functional genomics in Atlantic salmon.
Apply by October 15th through www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Please share widely! 🧬🦑🖥️
Apply by October 15th through www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Please share widely! 🧬🦑🖥️
Today we welcomed the new students to northern Norway - where mid *August* marks the start of the beanie season 😅
August 18, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Today we welcomed the new students to northern Norway - where mid *August* marks the start of the beanie season 😅
Where else can you, within a day, first attend *two* international conferences with the worlds most cited marine scientists, walk in the marina with ice cream, go home and cook dinner, then walk 2km to the nearest river, catch Atlantic salmon on a fly, and come back home when it’s still light?!
July 9, 2025 at 11:12 PM
Where else can you, within a day, first attend *two* international conferences with the worlds most cited marine scientists, walk in the marina with ice cream, go home and cook dinner, then walk 2km to the nearest river, catch Atlantic salmon on a fly, and come back home when it’s still light?!
The final day of the European Marine Biology Symposium here in Bodø kicked off by a great (and entertaining) keynote by Daniel Pauly. The EMBS is a wonderful, fun and diverse community that I can recommend to everyone 🌊
July 9, 2025 at 9:28 AM
The final day of the European Marine Biology Symposium here in Bodø kicked off by a great (and entertaining) keynote by Daniel Pauly. The EMBS is a wonderful, fun and diverse community that I can recommend to everyone 🌊
How do genetic differences in major effect genes translate into alternative life histories? Our group has an open PhD position in functional genomics (ChIP-seq + ATAC-seq + RNA-seq) to answer this question.
Official add posted in August - before that contact me through email!
Official add posted in August - before that contact me through email!
July 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM
How do genetic differences in major effect genes translate into alternative life histories? Our group has an open PhD position in functional genomics (ChIP-seq + ATAC-seq + RNA-seq) to answer this question.
Official add posted in August - before that contact me through email!
Official add posted in August - before that contact me through email!
Maybe doesn’t speak to many, but one of my dreams is about to come true. I’m one hour I will be the 5th in line to pick a salmon fishing licence for next summer to the legendary Alta river. I still can’t believe it, someone pinch me!
March 7, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Maybe doesn’t speak to many, but one of my dreams is about to come true. I’m one hour I will be the 5th in line to pick a salmon fishing licence for next summer to the legendary Alta river. I still can’t believe it, someone pinch me!
The solar noon in our neck of woods - as seen from our building (from none other than the office of the masters students)
January 10, 2025 at 12:42 PM
The solar noon in our neck of woods - as seen from our building (from none other than the office of the masters students)
Join us in Bodø in July 2025 for the 58th European Marine Biology Symposium (EMBS)! It's a fantastic time of the year to visit this spectacular corner of the world!
www.embs-symposium.com
🦑
www.embs-symposium.com
🦑
November 22, 2024 at 11:49 AM
Join us in Bodø in July 2025 for the 58th European Marine Biology Symposium (EMBS)! It's a fantastic time of the year to visit this spectacular corner of the world!
www.embs-symposium.com
🦑
www.embs-symposium.com
🦑
A calm morning at 9am above the Arctic Circle - People are often curious as to how much daylight there is up here. Not much, but what there is, is magical.
November 22, 2024 at 8:12 AM
A calm morning at 9am above the Arctic Circle - People are often curious as to how much daylight there is up here. Not much, but what there is, is magical.
In summary we showed that, despite the simple genetic architecture of maturity age variation, the mechanism translating the G-P was functionally complex. We elaborated the functional mechanism through which vgll3 controls many traits in a pleiotropic manner.
November 19, 2024 at 5:37 PM
In summary we showed that, despite the simple genetic architecture of maturity age variation, the mechanism translating the G-P was functionally complex. We elaborated the functional mechanism through which vgll3 controls many traits in a pleiotropic manner.
Expanding to gene regulatory networks, we saw that vgll3 genotype associated with the expression of thousands of genes, that it mediated dynamics of network expression, and that it associated with distinct sets of transcription factors in alternative genotypes.
November 19, 2024 at 5:37 PM
Expanding to gene regulatory networks, we saw that vgll3 genotype associated with the expression of thousands of genes, that it mediated dynamics of network expression, and that it associated with distinct sets of transcription factors in alternative genotypes.
We identified vgll3 elements likely controlling for expression difference between genotypes. These were associated with differentially expressed genes involved in distinct facets of pubertal development - including sexual maturation and balance of fat reserve usage versus accumulation.
November 19, 2024 at 5:37 PM
We identified vgll3 elements likely controlling for expression difference between genotypes. These were associated with differentially expressed genes involved in distinct facets of pubertal development - including sexual maturation and balance of fat reserve usage versus accumulation.
Regulatory elements with vgll3 occupancy were associated with transcriptional upregulation and alternative vgll3 genotypes showed a distinct set of such vgll3 elements, associated with largely distinct gene functions.
November 19, 2024 at 5:37 PM
Regulatory elements with vgll3 occupancy were associated with transcriptional upregulation and alternative vgll3 genotypes showed a distinct set of such vgll3 elements, associated with largely distinct gene functions.
We analysed transcriptome expression (RNA-seq) and gene regulatory elements (ChIP-seq) in testis of salmon with alternative vgll3 genotypes. Major regulators of distinct pubertal pathways showed concordant upregulation in the genotype conferring early maturity.
November 19, 2024 at 5:37 PM
We analysed transcriptome expression (RNA-seq) and gene regulatory elements (ChIP-seq) in testis of salmon with alternative vgll3 genotypes. Major regulators of distinct pubertal pathways showed concordant upregulation in the genotype conferring early maturity.
Small salmon and a big scientist (Dylan Fraser)! Heading back from another field trip with the amazingly dinky dwarf Atlantic salmon of Cape Race, Newfoundland.
November 13, 2024 at 4:34 PM
Small salmon and a big scientist (Dylan Fraser)! Heading back from another field trip with the amazingly dinky dwarf Atlantic salmon of Cape Race, Newfoundland.
Still two weeks to apply for this PhD position in gorgeous northern Norway!
Please share widely - and get in touch for more information on project, qualifications (which are flexible!), etc.
Please share widely - and get in touch for more information on project, qualifications (which are flexible!), etc.
August 14, 2024 at 8:07 AM
Still two weeks to apply for this PhD position in gorgeous northern Norway!
Please share widely - and get in touch for more information on project, qualifications (which are flexible!), etc.
Please share widely - and get in touch for more information on project, qualifications (which are flexible!), etc.
The Functional and Evolutionary Genomics group (me!) at Nord is recruiting a PhD student on an exciting project on dwarf Atlantic salmon - please share widely!
Applications and more information:
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Applications and more information:
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
June 26, 2024 at 1:39 PM
The Functional and Evolutionary Genomics group (me!) at Nord is recruiting a PhD student on an exciting project on dwarf Atlantic salmon - please share widely!
Applications and more information:
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Applications and more information:
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
So excited to announce that today was my first day as Associate Professor in Genomics! I'm incredibly grateful to my family, colleagues, and mentors for supporting me in fulfilling my dreams!
April 1, 2024 at 7:07 PM
So excited to announce that today was my first day as Associate Professor in Genomics! I'm incredibly grateful to my family, colleagues, and mentors for supporting me in fulfilling my dreams!
You, professor of genetics: Genetics is simple!
Geneticists: hold my 🍺
You: 😑
Geneticists: hold my 🍺
You: 😑
March 27, 2024 at 11:23 AM
You, professor of genetics: Genetics is simple!
Geneticists: hold my 🍺
You: 😑
Geneticists: hold my 🍺
You: 😑
Our results show a molecular mechanism by which single large-effect genes can mediate pleiotropic effects on multiple (seemingly unrelated) traits. I’m excited to dig deeper :)
January 8, 2024 at 9:15 AM
Our results show a molecular mechanism by which single large-effect genes can mediate pleiotropic effects on multiple (seemingly unrelated) traits. I’m excited to dig deeper :)
Just back from collecting gametes from anadromous Atlantic salmon - of "a bit" different size compared to our dwarf landlocked salmon. We now have tens of dwarf, anadromous, and dwarf-anadromous hybrid families in incubation. A first of such common garden to our knowledge!
November 9, 2023 at 1:37 PM
Just back from collecting gametes from anadromous Atlantic salmon - of "a bit" different size compared to our dwarf landlocked salmon. We now have tens of dwarf, anadromous, and dwarf-anadromous hybrid families in incubation. A first of such common garden to our knowledge!
Field work culminated in something that has been planned for the last 2 years - gamete collection from landlocked dwarf salmon (the coolest in the world :) Now safely incubating at Concordia to produce our first generation of common garden dwarfs!
November 6, 2023 at 4:07 PM
Field work culminated in something that has been planned for the last 2 years - gamete collection from landlocked dwarf salmon (the coolest in the world :) Now safely incubating at Concordia to produce our first generation of common garden dwarfs!
In addition to waterfalls, Cape Race salmon populations are cut off from their ocean-going cousins by other spectacular barriers, like a river that never reaches the Atlantic because it percolates through a massive gravel bar 🤯
October 30, 2023 at 4:12 PM
In addition to waterfalls, Cape Race salmon populations are cut off from their ocean-going cousins by other spectacular barriers, like a river that never reaches the Atlantic because it percolates through a massive gravel bar 🤯
Cape Race is home to dwarf Atlantic salmon and dwarf brook trout for a spectacular reason: many of the tiny streams they inhabit terminate with waterfalls straight into the Atlantic ocean, cutting them off from each other and from mixing with their bigger sea-run cousins
October 27, 2023 at 7:18 PM
Cape Race is home to dwarf Atlantic salmon and dwarf brook trout for a spectacular reason: many of the tiny streams they inhabit terminate with waterfalls straight into the Atlantic ocean, cutting them off from each other and from mixing with their bigger sea-run cousins