From listmaster animalgenome.org Fri Jan 10 15:14:08 2020
Return-Path: <listmasteranimalgenome.org>
From: "White, Stephen" <stephen.whiteusda.gov>
Postmaster: submission approved by list moderator
To: Members of AnGenMap <angenmapanimalgenome.org>
Subject: Postdoc Opportunity in Bioinformatics and Rational
Vaccine Design
Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2020 15:14:08 -0600
Postdoc Opportunity in Bioinformatics and Rational Vaccine Design
Seeking postdoc to translate genomics data at the host-pathogen interface
into improved vaccine design and testing. Coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic
bacterium with nearly worldwide distribution responsible for abortion
losses in ruminant livestock as well as the human disease known as Q Fever.
Ongoing costs to livestock industries are estimated in the millions per
year in North America, and a large outbreak in the U.S. could reach $1
billion. This project will combine genomics data from C. burnetii and
ruminant hosts to improve rational vaccine design against C. burnetii by
identifying putative T cell epitopes conserved across C. burnetii strains.
Then, a mouse model system will be used to test a vaccine candidate
leveraging this information to determine levels of protection from disease
and prevention of C. burnetii transmission. Laboratory work will include
stages in a BSL3 environment, and candidates must be able to pass federal
background check. U.S. citizenship is not required, but candidates must
have or be able to obtain legal status (green card, visa, or citizenship).
Background on human Q Fever: C. burnetii infection in humans is often
asymptomatic (and thus underdiagnosed), but can lead to acute Q Fever with
self-limiting fever, pneumonia, headaches, joint pain, etc. A rare but
serious complication is chronic Q Fever that can involve endocarditis, a
potentially fatal swelling of the heart (often involving heart valves).
Patients with Q Fever can also experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. Risk
factors for chronic Q Fever include heart valve replacements,
immunosuppression, and pregnancy. Ruminant livestock have often been blamed
for human Q Fever outbreaks, and solutions will reduce animal disease and
improve human health as an example of a One Health approach.
For more information, please contact Stephen White as shown below. Please
send a current CV and statement of career goals.
Stephen N. White, Ph.D.
Acting Research Leader
Research Geneticist
USDA-ARS Animal Disease Research
Pullman, WA 99164
Stephen.Whiteusda.gov
509-335-7407
|
