Two Post-Doc positions available on bacterial endosymbionts of fungi in Oregon (USA)
Published: Thursday, March 23, 2023
For more information about these positions, you could also contact Prof. Paola Bonfante (paola.bonfante @unito.it)
Position 1. Dimensions US-South Africa: Unravelling the influence of endosymbiotic bacteria on the biodiversity of Mucoromycota fungi
Collaborative research with Teresa Pawlowska (Cornell, USA) and Rasheed Adeleke (Northwest University Potchefstroom Campus, South Africa)
https://nsf.gov/awardsearch/
This postdoc will be using a combination of field work in southern California and South Africa, molecular biology, and computational comparative evolutionary genomics to investigate how endosymbiotic bacteria influence fungal communities. Although endosymbionts have been found in ~50% of infraspecific level sampling efforts, when present they fundamentally alter their fungal hosts’ metabolism, gene expression and reproductive biology. We hypothesize these shifts in turn alter fungal symbioses with other organisms including plants, soil microbes and other fungi and produce predictable community structures.
Responsibilities
1) Conducting field (must be willing and able to drive University vehicle)
2) Culturing and sequencing (sanger/amplicon/genomic) fungal and bacterial diversity from soils
3) Generating functional genomic data sets
4) Assisting in lab management and training
5) Analyzing data and writing scientific manuscripts; educational and outreach activities to the K-12 community
https://nsf.gov/awardsearch/
This postdoc will be using a combination of field work in southern California and South Africa, molecular biology, and computational comparative evolutionary genomics to investigate how endosymbiotic bacteria influence fungal communities. Although endosymbionts have been found in ~50% of infraspecific level sampling efforts, when present they fundamentally alter their fungal hosts’ metabolism, gene expression and reproductive biology. We hypothesize these shifts in turn alter fungal symbioses with other organisms including plants, soil microbes and other fungi and produce predictable community structures.
Responsibilities
1) Conducting field (must be willing and able to drive University vehicle)
2) Culturing and sequencing (sanger/amplicon/genomic) fungal and bacterial diversity from soils
3) Generating functional genomic data sets
4) Assisting in lab management and training
5) Analyzing data and writing scientific manuscripts; educational and outreach activities to the K-12 community
==========
Position 2. BBSRC-NSF/BIO: Investigating microbial predation as a driver of endosymbiosis and phagocyte evasion
Position 2. BBSRC-NSF/BIO: Investigating microbial predation as a driver of endosymbiosis and phagocyte evasion
Collaborative research with Liz Ballou (University of Exeter, UK) and Jason King (University of Sheffield, UK)
https://nsf.gov/awardsearch/
This postdoc will be employ computational genomics to understand which Mucoromycota isolates from human fungal infections and the environment host endosymbiotic bacteria, and how those endosymbionts contribute to infection dynamics. Rhizopus species and related fungi that cause Mucoromycosis originate from soil environments where they regularly encounter phagocytic cells and competitors such as cellular slime molds and free living bacteria. These fungi also contain endosymbionts with unique secondary metabolites that interfere with phagocytosis and inhibit competitive microbial growth. We hypothesize that the benefits fungi gain from hosting endosymbionts in environmental contexts act as a selective pressure to develop virulence mechanisms in pathogenic strains.
Responsibilities
1) Surveying endosymbiont diversity (computationally) in environmental and clinical Mucoromycota isolates
2) Leveraging computational evolutionary and molecular functional genomics to quantify the effects on fungi for hosting endosymbionts
3) Assisting in lab management and training
4) Disseminating the research findings to the public and industries through extension action
5) Analyzing data and writing scientific manuscripts; educational and outreach activities to the K-12 community
https://nsf.gov/awardsearch/
This postdoc will be employ computational genomics to understand which Mucoromycota isolates from human fungal infections and the environment host endosymbiotic bacteria, and how those endosymbionts contribute to infection dynamics. Rhizopus species and related fungi that cause Mucoromycosis originate from soil environments where they regularly encounter phagocytic cells and competitors such as cellular slime molds and free living bacteria. These fungi also contain endosymbionts with unique secondary metabolites that interfere with phagocytosis and inhibit competitive microbial growth. We hypothesize that the benefits fungi gain from hosting endosymbionts in environmental contexts act as a selective pressure to develop virulence mechanisms in pathogenic strains.
Responsibilities
1) Surveying endosymbiont diversity (computationally) in environmental and clinical Mucoromycota isolates
2) Leveraging computational evolutionary and molecular functional genomics to quantify the effects on fungi for hosting endosymbionts
3) Assisting in lab management and training
4) Disseminating the research findings to the public and industries through extension action
5) Analyzing data and writing scientific manuscripts; educational and outreach activities to the K-12 community
==========
for both positions:
Salaries $54,840
Start dates May 1, 2023 (or as negotiated)
Conferences and collaborator visits encouraged and supported
to apply please send the following to jessie.uehling@oregonstate.
1) A resume/CV
2) 2 page Research Interest Statement
3) A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.
4) at least three professional references, their email addresses and telephone numbers
for both positions:
Salaries $54,840
Start dates May 1, 2023 (or as negotiated)
Conferences and collaborator visits encouraged and supported
to apply please send the following to jessie.uehling@oregonstate.
1) A resume/CV
2) 2 page Research Interest Statement
3) A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.
4) at least three professional references, their email addresses and telephone numbers