• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Texas A&M Forest Service
  • Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
  • Texas A&M AgriLife Research
  • Texas A&M College of Agrculture and Life Sciences
Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Entomology Job Board
  • Menu
  • Job Board
  • Job Board
  • Submit A Job
  • Job Posting Guidelines & FAQs
  • Department of Entomology

Post-doc position in microbiology at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland)

Agency
University of Fribourg (Switzerland)
Location
Switzerland
Start Date
May 1, 2019
Website
https://college.agrilife.org/entojobs/wp-content/uploads/sites/79/2019/01/Post-doc-position_-Effects-of-caste-specific-microbiota-on-disease-susceptibility-in-ants-1.pdf
Description
A 3-year post-doc position is available in the research group of Professor Nathalie Stroeymeyt in the Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, to study the role of caste-specific microbiota in the disease defences of ant colonies. Group living offers favourable conditions for the spread of infectious diseases, because high population densities and frequent social contacts facilitate pathogen transmission. To mitigate that risk, social animals have evolved a variety of defence mechanisms to prevent the entry and propagation of pathogens within the group, ranging from a raised investment in personal immunity to highly coordinated collective sanitary actions (‘social immunity’). Recent studies have shown that social groups can also adopt organizational features, such as the subdivision into well-separated subgroups, which reduce epidemic risk through transmission bottleneck effects. However, the importance of organizational immunity features in disease risk management by real animal groups is still poorly understood. Our research adopts an empirical approach based on the experimental manipulations of garden ant colonies (Lasius niger) to (i) quantify the effect of social organization on disease transmission and test key predictions from network epidemiology, and (ii) evaluate the relative of importance of personal immunity, collective sanitary actions and organizational features under different environmental conditions and at different stages of development (for more detail see https://stroeymeyt-lab.ch/research). The project The goal of this project will be to study the role of caste-specific microbiota in the disease defences of ant colonies. The candidate will use DNA barcoding, gene expression analysis, physiological assays, microbiota manipulations and behavioural observations to (i) characterise the microbiota of ant workers depending on their caste, and (ii) test whether ants that perform risky tasks (e.g. foragers) have a microbiota which decreases their susceptibility to disease compared to ants that perform safe tasks (e.g. nurses), thus reducing the risk of epidemics at the colony-level. The candidate will also be involved in collaborations with other team members to characterise the immune response of ant workers to diverse fungal and bacterial pathogens. The position will be part of an overall project team consisting of two PhD students and two post-doctoral researchers (https://stroeymeyt-lab.ch/open-positions/) and will be fully funded for three years by an ERC Starting Grant. The salary will be set according to the guidelines of the University of Fribourg (c. 75’000 CHF per year).
Qualifications
We are looking for candidates with a strong background in molecular biology and/or microbiology, solid experience in lab work and analysis of sequencing data (e.g. DNA barcoding, quantification of gene expression), and a willingness to perform experiments involving live ants. A prior knowledge of insect immunity would be a plus. Candidates must be creative, motivated and passionate about science, have excellent oral and written communication skills, and be at ease working both independently and as part of a team. A PhD will be required prior to taking up the position.
Job Number
81
Contact Person
Nathalie Stroeymeyt
Contact eMail
Nathalie.Stroeymeyt@gmail.com
Bookmark the permalink.
← PhD position in collective behaviour and social immunity at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland)
Post-doc position in collective behavior and epidemiology at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) →

For all job opportunities at Texas A&M AgriLife, visit https://agrilifeas.tamu.edu/hr/careers-employment/

Instructions for external applicants (Not currently employed by Texas A&M University System/Texas A&M AgriLife) are in left hand column. Instructions for internal applicants (currently employed by the Texas A&M University System/Texas A&M AgriLife) are in the right hand column.

Jobs By Category

  • Full Time Positions
  • Part Time Vacancies
  • Temporary / Seasonal Positions
  • Internships
  • Volunteer Openings
  • Graduate Assistanships
  • Undergraduate Assistantships
  • Post Doctoral Appointments
  • Fellowships & Scholarships
  • Faculty Appointments
  • Student Employment at TAMU
  • Training
  • Grants
  • Compact with Texans
  • Privacy and Security
  • Accessibility Policy
  • State Link Policy
  • Statewide Search
  • Veterans Benefits
  • Military Families
  • Risk, Fraud & Misconduct Hotline
  • Texas Homeland Security
  • Texas Veterans Portal
  • Equal Opportunity
  • Open Records/Public Information
Texas A&M University System Member