PHD Student in Wildlife and Livestock Ecology and Disease
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
Faculty of Environmental Design
University of Calgary
The Department of Ecosystem and Public Health together with the
Department of Production Animal Medicine of the Faculty of Veterinary
Medicine and the Faculty of Environmental Design are seeking a graduate
student with interests in wildlife and livestock movements, interactions
and disease.
Project description: In southwest Alberta, wild elk and cattle often
share the same pastures and graze together. Several important production
limiting diseases of cattle such as Bovine Viral Diarrhea, Infectious
Bovine Rhinotracheitis, Neospora caninum, and Johne’s disease are also
found in elk. We will evaluate the potential role of wildlife as a
reservoir of these diseases and determine contacts between elk and
cattle. For disease prevalence, we will use blood and fecal samples that
are available from elk captures, while additional samples will be
collected in the field for cattle. Additionally, fecal samples of elk
will be collected during high stress periods. The possible contact
between elk and beef cattle will be determined using GPS collars that
are placed on 120 elk -the biggest elk project worldwide. The movement
of cattle will also be determined using GPS technology. We will model
cattle and elk distribution to understand the contact structure between
the species. These results will allow determining (a) the areas of
overlap of the two species, and (b) the areas with higher prevalence of
disease in elk. Where both (a) and (b) are high, transmission-risk to
livestock will be highest. We will validate our approach with data on
disease prevalence in blood and fecal samples.
The project is funded by the Alberta Funding Consortium.
Descriptions of the Faculties and departments can be found under the
UofC website (www.ucalgary.ca).
Applicants with a DVM are preferred, however, exceptional applicants
with degrees in ecology or a related field will be considered. Students
with special interest in wildlife disease ecology and epidemiology are
encouraged to respond. Special interest in an interdisciplinary approach
is necessary.
The salary will be commensurate with the level of education.
Review of applications will begin April 30th, 2009. Interested
individuals should submit a current curriculum vitae and an outline of
research interests along with the names of three referees to:
Dr. Karin Orsel [email protected] 1-403-210 6127
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary,
3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta
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Marco Musiani, PhD
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary
2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 1N4 Canada
Office 3190, Ph. (403) 220-2604, Lab 220-2475, Fax 284-4399
Email [email protected], Web http://www.ucalgary.ca/~mmusiani
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