Post Doctoral Researcher: Ecological and Molecular Genetic Approaches to Epidemiological Studies of Aquatic Pathogens in Great Lakes Fishes

A 3-year post doctoral research position is available to study molecular genetic and ecological factors associated with the epidemiology of Renibacterium saloninarus (RS) in salmonid fishes of the Great Lakes basin. Research will also include assessment of the importance of natural population structure, environmental and anthropogenic factors mediating
disease prevalence, transmission, and persistence. Research will be conducted through the Departments of Fisheries and Wildlife and Department of Pathology and Diagnostic Investigation at Michigan State University (MSU), with an interdisciplinary team composed of Drs. Kim Scribner
(Ecological Genetics), Mohamed Faisal (Pathology), Robert Templeman (Quantitative Genetics; Dept. Animal Sci.) and Ruth Phillips (Molecular and Evolutionary Genetics; Washington State University-Vancouver). Duties will include working with project co-PI's and supervising technical staff in each of several areas including: 1) quantitative genetic analyses of gene expression associated with RS infection in different life history stages of salmonid fishes, 2) investigation of relationships between genotype at candidate antigen-processing genes and disease phenotypes, 3) controlled experimental studies of the effect of genotype, environment and disease susceptibility. Population genetic, phylogeographic, and immuno-pathological data bases are available for numerous co-distributed species from across the Great Lakes to extend results from experimental analyses to natural populations. Requirements include a PhD and molecular skills in either disease, epidemiology, molecular and population genetics, or allied disciplines. Background in the use of microarray technology and some quantitative skills in analysis and interpretation of expression data would be desirable. The position is available as early as mid-October. Send
resume, letter of research interests and contact information for 3 references to either: Kim Scribner, PhD, Departments of Fisheries & Wildlife and Zoology, Michigan State University, 13 Natural Resources Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-1222, Tel: (517)-353-3288, e-mail: scribne3@msu.edu or Mohamed Faisal (DVM), Departments of Fisheries & Wildlife and Diagnostic Investigation, Michigan State University, Tel: (517)-432-8259, e-mail faisal@cvm.msu.edu