A 3-year PhD position, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation for research on the evolutionary ecology of host-parasite interactions is available in the group of Jacob Koella at the University of Neuchâtel from February 1, 2013 (with some flexibility).
The general goal of my group is to integrate evolutionary and ecological thinking into the epidemiology and control of infectious diseases. We develop the theoretical basis of this integration and test empirically assumptions and predictions of the theory, using malaria, microsporidians and their mosquito hosts as experimental systems.
The PhD-project will integrate resource ecology with the within-host dynamics of parasite to obtain a better picture of the evolution of the host-parasite interaction. This approach explicitly takes into account a fundamental, yet largely neglected, aspect of parasites: that they steal resources from their host to support their own development. Resource ecology thus gives a mechanistic basis of the host’s and the parasite’s development, and thereby brings theory in closer contact with experimental observations, leading to a more realistic description of the host-parasite interaction. The experimental system will be the microsporidian Vavraia culicis and its host, the mosquito Aedes aegypti.
The PhD student will collaborate with a post-doc hired on the same grant to integrate the theoretical and experimental approaches of the project. The specific work can be purely experimental, purely theoretical, or a mixture of the two; the balance depends on the PhD student’s interests.
The position requires an independent, enthusiastic, and scientifically curious person with a strong background in evolutionary biology and an interest in parasitology. Good knowledge of evolutionary theory is an advantage, but not a prerequisite. An MSc (or equivalent) in Biology is required. The positions require some teaching of undergraduate and graduate biology labs. The generous salary is in accordance with the standards of the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Neuchâtel is located in the French part of Switzerland and is an attractive city with a high quality of life. The city is located on the shore of Lake Neuchâtel with the Jura Mountains to the North and a view of the Bernese Alps to the South. For outdoors enthusiasts, this is an excellent area for outdoor activities such as hiking, climbing or skiing.
Formal applications should include: a 1-2 page cover letter (in English) indicating research interests, your CV, and two letters of reference. Application deadline is November 18, 2012. Applications and informal enquiries must be submitted by email to: jkoella@gmail.com