We are seeking a Ph.D. student for a project on the evolution of
resistance to avian malaria in Hawaiian Honeycreepers. Collaborative
work will involve comparative genomics on three closely related
species of amakihi, honeycreepers that have apparent variation in
resistance/tolerance to Plasmodium relictum. The work will be part of
a collaboration funded by the NSF-Ecology and Evolution of Infectious
Disease program. This graduate position will be primarily a lab and
bioinformatics focused project, although there will be some fieldwork
catching amakihi and other birds in Hawaii. The genomics will be
done in concert with Rob Fleischer at the Smithsonian Institution
(https://nationalzoo.si.edu/conservation/robert-c-fleischer) and Loren
Sackett at the University of South Florida (http://secure-web.cisco.com/1CJF-gVv4kLTejKMyKtSA3W8DT_Whz_BkFxbY9nJWSGZkzQOatD6KpWQZdJ8zcR9YFF8EVKf8Gjh9-NbuEFfQnrSbR_pl1TLkiQj__K9Hy2oo_QzeRdQILnaT06oVpVsaXntPC3WQ-9PYWugZhOHZ4x9dsd6kaIU0JlMa2_AFMxK5elbha7VQjEQE7XBk154wnzrF6-hmXXYuPFuPbLaMpeVJpMwTgBzaJtdh2C-ifuVLOX_06CI-VON5tbq_19BJclaiwP3CgcHkdvTUJF4HJcfPoA7V7mBaixQFMFcG0GPzXxI4f9Fhfuj6OGQjY3N_RuWNjqkuGoxlxGvAt0amkIJZnMpBrzFH-6d_K_L8ufomOT6dYNWfktjYPDg20mJUU8ZAcijXhPc5UsytdIUCraOpS73Xv-Jo1yfdgrKUps5uIaG8S1jepVA5UfhLno0GEPkABrHxsxU8TFyZADzCCw/http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cassinsackett.com).
Desired Qualifications
– Master?s in Biology or related field (but MS not required for highly
qualified applicants)
– Skills in bioinformatic analyses of vertebrate genomes
– Experience in population genetics and molecular evolution
– Bird handling experience
Graduate program applications should be submitted to the
Graduate College via the Department of Biological Sciences
(https://nau.edu/cefns/natsci/biology/degrees-programs/graduate/),
due January 15, 2018 (but earlier applications are highly
encouraged). Candidates should first contact me at the email below
with a cover letter describing your background, research interests,
and qualifications, as well as a current CV.
Jeffrey Foster, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Pathogen and Microbiome Institute
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
email: jeff.foster@nau.edu
website: fozlab.weebly.com