Opportunities

PhD opportunities

To apply click here: http://www.findaphd.com/search/ProjectDetails.aspx?PJID=37399&LID=1171

Host:parasite co-evolution, transmission rate and the evolution of virulence

Applications are invited for this University-funded PhD studentship in microbiology, based in new facilities in the Centre for Biomolecular Sciences (CBS). The studentship will be administered through the School of Molecular Medical Sciences (http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mol/index.aspx).

Many bacterial species produce an array of toxins and virulence factors to overwhelm a host. Molecular microbiology approaches have taught us much about how virulence factors are produced and regulated, but little is known about how virulence and disease evolves in natural host systems. Microbes and their host are in a constant evolutionary arms race. For the bacteria there is often a trade off between virulence and transmission. Put simply, it is desirable to infect as many host as you can, which often requires the production of virulence factors. However, if you become too virulent you may kill your host which reduces the potential for further transmission. For the host, it is desirable to be able to resist or clear infection quickly.

This project takes a multidisciplinary approach, combining molecular microbiology with evolutionary theory and experimental procedures to address two main questions: (1) how does co-evolution between parasite and host affect the evolution of virulence? (2) how does transmission rate influence the evolution of virulence? These questions will be answered using bacteria known to be pathogenic to humans (Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus) and a host nematode worm (C. elegans). The findings will be important in helping to explain why some strains of bacteria become more virulent and problematic (eg: MRSA).

Techniques will include those used in molecular and evolutionary microbiology. The techniques used for this work are well-established in our laboratory and full training and close supervision will be provided. The supervisors will be Dr Steve Diggle and Prof. Paul Williams (see http://www.stevediggle.com; http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/quorum).

Post-Doctoral positions

A three year NERC-funded Post-Doc position will be available from Summer 2012. Further details on this and how to apply will be posted soon.

Fellowship opportunities

We are based in The School of Molecular Medical Sciences at the University of Nottingham and are part of one of the leading quorum sensing laboratories in the world. If you are interested in coming to work here, then fellowships can be obtained from NERC, BBSRC, MRC, Wellcome and the Royal Society. The latter have a number of schemes for visitors from specific countries. A new fellowship scheme provided by the Royal Society is the Newton Fellowship. This is a 2 year fellowship and is open to anyone who wants to come and work in the UK. In addition, it provides a further 10 years of money to help maintain the links which were established during the fellowship. The EU also have schemes for people to come to the UK from other EU countries (Marie Curie Fellowships). If you have an interesting idea/proposal that would complement our group then please contact us to discuss ways forward.