Postdoc en genética evolutiva (Dinamarca)

Join us at Aarhus University to work on basic questions in evolutionary genetics with applied outcomes in the area of antibiotic resistance.

A position as a postdoctoral research associate is available for 12 months (renewable for another 12 months) in the research group of Thomas Bataillon (Bioinformatics Research Center, Aarhus University DK). The work is funded by the project “PREPARE” and involves 5 research groups
based in Canada (A Wong, Carleton University, R Kassen U of Ottawa), Portugal (C Bank and I Gordo, IGC Portugal) and Denmark (T Bataillon, BiRC, Aarhus University).

The assumption that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is “costly”
underpins current thinking about the management and stewardship of
antibiotic delivery. Evidence suggests, however, that AMR can persist at
high levels even in the absence of drug selection implying either that
AMR is not as costly as previously thought or that costs are “over
rated” because these are labile and can be readily ameliorated through
compensatory evolution. We will evaluate these ideas directly, through
experiment, and use the data to validate theory aimed at predicting the
prevalence of AMR across genetic backgrounds and environments.

The postdoctoral researcher will work on theoretical models for predicting
the fitness changes of bacterial strains carrying different types of AMR
mutations across a variety of environments. The work will be primarily
theoretical and statistical (to help with the analysis of experimental
evolution data from the empirical side of the project).

We expect the post-doctoral researcher to have a background in
evolutionary genetics and interest in microbial evolution. Preference will
be given to candidates with proven expertise in the area of modelling
in evolutionary genetics (either analytical theory and/or computer
simulations) and microbial evolution (either experimental evolution or
population genetics of naturally occurring populations)

The work will be carried out at the bioinformatics research center
(BiRC) in close collaboration with Claudia Bank (leading the Evolutionary
Dynamics group at the Gulbenkian Institute, Oeiras Portugal).

BiRC (www.birc.au.dk) provides a young, interdisciplinary environment,
presently with 45 professors, post docs and PhD-students. There are
strong links to Department of Computer Science, Mathematics/statistics and
Biology as well as to the Faculty of Health. Within population genomics
and evolution, BiRC hosts the integrated research groups of Kasper Munch
(recombination, selection in primates, X and Y chromosome evolution),
Thomas Bataillon (evolutionary theory, experimental evolution), Asger
Hobolth (coalescent methods) and Mikkel H. Schierup (primate population
genomics, X and Y), Thomas Mailund (Bioinformatics Algorithmics,
Genetics Molecular evolution) and Palle Villesen (Bioinformatics NGS
autoimmune disease).

The position is available as early as May 15, 2018 and we will start to
review applications immediately.

For applying you should send

(1) your CV, including a list of publications and the names and email
addresses of two potential referees;

(2) a short cover letter (1 page) describing your research interests
and motivations for joining the project.

The position will be filled as soon as a qualified candidate is
identified.

Please send inquiries to Thomas Bataillon (tbata@birc.au.dk).