Dear colleagues, I have two PhD student positions available in disease ecology at Oregon State University. I am looking for one student interested in ecological theory and modeling, and one field ecologist - see details below. Both need to be highly motivated independent workers, excellent writers and have strong quantitative skills. Please could you pass this on to qualified applicants.
Thanks, Anna Disease ecology PhD positions available at Oregon State University. I am seeking two graduate students to work on a newly funded project investigating interactions among different types of parasite in African buffalo. Project Summary: Infection of hosts by multiple parasite species is the norm rather than the exception in most natural populations, yet studies of parasite dynamics largely focus on single parasites interacting with single hosts. Fundamental principles of immunology suggest that co-infection of hosts by microparasites (bacteria, viruses, protozoa) and macroparasites (helminths) should have important effects on disease dynamics. For example, exposure to macroparasites may increase host susceptibility to and progression of important microparasitic diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria in humans. The central goal of this study is to investigate the consequences of microparasite-macroparasite interactions for patterns of disease at three distinct levels of biological organization: individuals, populations and species. To achieve this goal, African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) co-infected with bovine tuberculosis (BTB, Mycobacterium bovis) and gastrointestinal nematodes will be used as a model system to investigate individual-level patterns of infection and parasite population dynamics. Specifically, a combination of field and captive studies and mathematical modeling will be used to assess patterns of infection and immunity in these free-ranging animals, understand the effects of nematode treatment on BTB transmission, and examine the reciprocal effects of BTB on nematodes. Scaling up from this system, a comprehensive database of parasites and pathogens infecting wild mammals and humans will then be used to investigate the effect of helminths on the distribution of microparasitic diseases across populations and species. In combination, these analyses will reveal how within-host immunological interactions between micoparasites and macroparasites shape patterns of disease in natural host populations and among species. Position profiles: One position will have a strong field-based component in South Africa, requiring excellent organizational skills, independence, and the ability to work in a remote location with a team of people from diverse cultural backgrounds, as well as quantitative aptitude to handle analysis of large experimental and observational datasets. The second position will focus on modeling the buffalo ? TB ? helminth system, providing the theoretical underpinning to the project; however the theory student will also be expected to participate in field data collection to ensure a firm grasp of the study system?s biology. This position requires excellent quantitative skills and could suit someone with an undergraduate degree in mathematics / physics and a strong interest in biological systems, or a biologist with demonstrable interest in ecological theory. Grant funding is available for three years for each student; with the remaining time covered by teaching assistantships and / or fellowship funding obtained by the students. Women and minority students are particularly encouraged to apply. Contact: Dr. Anna Jolles, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, 101 Magruder Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331. [EMAIL PROTECTED] | (541) 737 9028.
