I would like to invite applications for a postdoctoral position on bioeconomic modeling of new dengue control interventions. The applicant would ideally be also interested in conservation science to contribute to the other program of research in the lab.
Dengue is a vector-borne disease transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes causing 390 million infections annually. The spread of dengue is of increasing concern due to climate change, population growth and urbanization. Up to date, there have not been effective ways to curb global epidemics but the recent development of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes, Release of Insects with Dominant Lethality (RIDL) mosquitoes and vaccines, could lead to effective reductions in disease burden. Although these techniques are very promising, little is known regarding their potential cost-effectiveness or how they should be implemented (e.g. release numbers, vaccine coverage) and scaled-up. Bioeconomic modeling coupling the population dynamics of the mosquito, epidemic dynamics in the host population and the cost and benefits generated by the interventions are needed to support policy making in countries considering their application. The postdoc will contribute to further develop bioeconomic models of dengue control, simulating the model and writing articles. There will also be flexibility to develop new ideas and research questions in the interface between epidemiology/ecology and economics. Collaboration and contributions to ongoing research in the lab on spatial trade-offs between ecosystem services and agricultural production in the tropics will also be possible. Successful applicants will join the BioEcon Lab at the Department of Biological Sciences of the National University of Singapore. The Department of Biological Sciences has over 60 faculty and 300 graduate students. Facilities and research support are world-class and the university and department are highly regarded internationally. Funding and requirements Funding for the postdoc is available for 2 years. The annual salary is £33,700–36,500 British pounds (US$ 52,600–57,000; Euro 48,000–52,000). Assistance for relocation, housing allowance and medical insurance are also provided. The candidate would have or be in the last year of have finished a relevant PhD in either Public Health, Epidemic Modeling, Bioeconomics, Biosecurity, Health Economics, Ecology, Environmental Sciences, Ecological Economics, Environmental Economics or other relevant discipline. Familiarity with mathematical or simulation modeling would be considered a plus. To apply, please send me an up-to-date CV and briefly state your research interests as they relate to the project. Contact Please email Dr. L. Roman Carrasco, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore. Email: [email protected]. Lab webpage: http://staff.science.nus.edu.sg/~ecoleconlab/index.html
