From listmaster animalgenome.org Tue Jun 30 11:30:42 2020
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From: WILSON Andrea <andrea.wilsonroslin.ed.ac.uk>
Postmaster: submission approved by list moderator
To: Members of AnGenMap <angenmapanimalgenome.org>
Subject: PhD studentship in statistical genetics to reduce
infectious disease
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2020 11:30:42 -0500
PhD studentship in statistical genetics to reduce infectious disease
transmission; Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh UK
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown the importance of devising effective
methods that help limit the spread of infections. We are looking for a
talented and dedicated PhD student interested in developing new statistical
models to determine the genetic risk of individuals for transmitting
infectious disease. This studentship will use genetic and health data from
cattle populations in the UK to investigate the role of cattle genetics in
spreading bovine Tuberculosis. The 3 year project, funded by the UK
Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, offers the PhD student the
opportunity to make a strong contribution to the scientific statistical
genetics field, and to the UK government's goal of eradicating one of the
most persistent livestock diseases. The student will benefit from a
multidisciplinary supervisory team and research training environment in a
world leading bioscience institute.
Project details: Despite tremendous control efforts, bovine Tuberculosis
(bTB) remains one of the most persistent livestock diseases in the UK and
many other countries. Building on collaborative research between The Roslin
Institute and Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), the cattle industry launched
in 2016 the genetic index 'TB Avantage', which enables farmers to select
bulls with improved genetic bTB resistance. Empirical evidence now suggests
that cattle may also differ genetically in their capacity to transmit
disease, and that incorporating genetic risk estimates for transmitting
disease into breeding programmes would help eradicate the disease. In this
PhD project, we aim to develop the statistical tools and apply them to
genetic and bTB surveillance data to calculate, for the first time, genetic
risk estimates for cattle for acquiring bTB and for transmitting the
disease.
Besides producing novel statistical methods and scientific insights into
genetic effects underlying disease transmission, the successful PhD
candidate will have the opportunity to closely work with the cattle
industry to implement the project results into practice. There is also
scope of combining this approach with complementary epidemiological
modelling approaches developed in ongoing collaborations between Roslin and
BioSS. As such, the student will contribute to the UK government goal to
eradicate bTB by 2038.
PhD student profile, funding and research environment: This PhD is in the
field of quantitative genetics and computational statistics. Excellent
numerical skills exemplified by a proven track record in mathematical or
statistical modelling with programming experience are required as well as
an interest in livestock genetics and infectious disease research. This 3
year PhD is funded by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
(AHDB https://ahdb.org.uk/), offers a stipend of ~15K per annum and is
funded to pay the University of Edinburgh tuition fees for UK/EU students
only. Non UK/EU nationals must provide evidence of sufficient funds to
cover the difference between the home and international student tuition fee
levels: Home/EU = 4,407; International = 23,500.
The successful PhD candidate will be based at the Roslin Institute. The
candidate is expected to start in January 2021 and will be supervised by a
multi-disciplinary team consisting of Prof. Andrea Doeschl-Wilson, Prof.
Georgios Banos, Dr. Enrique Molano-Sanchez and Marco Winters, head of AHDB
dairy genetics. The successful candidate will join a welcoming, vibrant,
multi-disciplinary research environment that brings together world leading
livestock geneticists, epidemiologists, statisticians, bioinformaticians,
and molecular biologists to improve livestock and human health and to train
the next generation of world-class scientists.
Eligibility and How to Apply: Applicants should have or expect to obtain a
minimum of an upper second class honours degree (or equivalent) in animal
breeding, statistics, mathematics, or any other relevant quantitative
subject. To qualify for full funding, students must be UK or EU citizens
who have been resident in the UK for 3 years prior to commencement.
For further information about eligibility and how to apply, please visit
https://www.findaphd.com/...to-reduce-
infectious-disease-transmission/?p119365 For informal discussion about this
studentship, please contact Prof. Andrea Wilson
andrea.wilsonroslin.ed.ac.uk.
The closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday 31st July 2020. The
University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in Scotland, with
registration number SC005336.
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