Position: The Department of Entomology at Kansas State University, in conjunction with the Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit of the USDA, is looking for a Ph.D. student to study virus-vector interactions involved in the emergence vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) in the U.S. VSV causes sporadic, economically devastating outbreaks in cattle, horses and swine. Determining the viral genetic basis of vector-transmissibility, and the role virus-vector interactions play in the ability of specific emergent VSV genetic lineages to become established and spread in the U.S., will inform VSV epidemiology and outbreak risk assessments.
This position provides an exciting research opportunity for hands-on experience in vector biology, virology, molecular biology, and epidemiology, performing in vitro and in vivo experiments to evaluate virus-vector interactions and their effect on vector transmission potential.
Required skills: Masters in virology, entomology or related field. Previous experience in cell culture, virus propagation, and qPCR.
Preferred skills: Proficiency in statistical packages and experience in scientific writing is preferred, but any exceptionally creative and motivated scientist will be thoroughly considered.
The successful applicant will be hired on a competitive stipend support and with full tuition paid.
Starting date: August 2017, or January 2018, depending on qualified applicant availability.
For more information, please send email to vsvphdsearch@gmail.com