Slamovits Lab at Dalhousie University

Category: News

  • FACULTY POSITION IN EVOLUTIONARY GENOMICS/GENETICS San Diego

    FACULTY POSITION IN EVOLUTIONARY GENOMICS/GENETICS

    DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY, SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY

    We seek a creative, productive evolutionary biologist with research strengths in eukaryotic genomics or genetics. We are especially interested in candidates who use innovative experimental, computational and/or comparative approaches. Research area is open to studies of all eukaryotic organisms.

    Candidates should have post-doctoral experience and a strong record of research accomplishments and funding. The successful candidate should also display a commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching. Teaching responsibilities will include participation in undergraduate genetics and evolutionary biology courses, and additional courses in the candidate’s areas of expertise. The successful candidate will participate in the MS and PhD programs in Evolutionary Biology and may also participate in the department’s MS and PhD programs in Cell and Molecular Biology, and Ecology.

    Applicants should submit electronically a single pdf comprising a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, statement of research, statement of teaching interest, and three representative publications to evgenomics@mail.sdsu.edu (Andrew Bohonak, Chair, c/o Medora Bratlien). Applicants must request that three letters of recommendation be sent electronically, directly to the search committee. Review of applications will begin 16 December 2013, and will continue until the position is filled. Incomplete applications are not guaranteed full consideration. For the full job ad see: http://www.bio.sdsu.edu/jobs/

    SDSU is an Equal Opportunity/Title IX Employer.

  • Faculty Position in Genomics or Computational Biology: U of Calgary

    The Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary and the Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute for Child & Maternal Health invite applications for a full-time position at the Assistant Professor level in the area of Genomics or Computational Biology.

    Qualifications include a Ph.D. degree or equivalent, at least two years of post-doctoral experience, and a proven record of research excellence in the development or application of computational tools to address biological/biomedical problems, with a focus on genomics. A strong background in statistics or machine learning will be viewed as an asset.

    The successful candidate will join a blossoming multidisciplinary and inter-Faculty team of bioinformaticians, clinical researchers and basic scientists whose research spans model organisms to human disease. The Faculty of Medicine is also home to an undergraduate program in bioinformatics (http://medicine.ucalgary.ca/bhsc/program/bioinformatics), and an emerging graduate program specialization in bioinformatics. The position provides 75% of time protected for research, and will include expectations to contribute to teaching and graduate student supervision. This is an excellent opportunity to develop a vigorous and independent externally-funded research program within a dynamic and collaborative environment. A competitive salary and an attractive start-up package are available. The candidate will be expected to apply for extramural support from national/provincial agencies to sustain their research program.

    The Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute encourages a translational approach to research with an emphasis on people, core programs and infrastructure. The Department, Institute and Faculty are home to a number of excellent core research facilities, such as state-of-the-art proteomics and genomics labs, including a next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics platform. Please visit our websites at http://www.ucalgary.ca/bmb/ and http://research4kids.ucalgary.ca/ for more information.

    Increasing scholarly capacity will help the University of Calgary meet its strategic goal to become one of Canada’s top five research universities by 2016, where innovative teaching and groundbreaking research go hand in hand, and where we fully engage the communities we both serve and lead. The strategy is called Eyes High, inspired by the university’s Gaelic motto, which translates as “I will lift up my eyes”.

    Calgary, Canada’s fastest growing major city, offers a vibrant, multicultural and family-oriented environment with a population of more than one million. Situated near the Rocky Mountains, Banff National Park and Lake Louise, Calgary has great quality of life and outstanding recreational activities.

    Interested candidates should submit by email a single PDF file containing: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, summary of research interests and contact information for three referees, to Dr. Jonathan Lytton, Head of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1. Email: jlytton@ucalgary.ca

    The review of applications will begin on 6 January 2014 and continue until the position is filled.

    All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. The University of Calgary respects, appreciates, and encourages diversity.

  • Postdoctoral position in Toxoplasma

    POSTDOCTORAL POSITION

    Biochemistry, Microbiology, Drug development

     

    Indiana University School of Medicine

    POSTDOCTORAL POSITION available to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of experimental drugs to treat infection caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Related to the malaria parasite, Toxoplasma causes birth defects and life-threatening infection in immunocompromised AIDS or heart transplant patients. The successful candidate will continue the study of small molecules that interfere with stress responses and differentiation as a means to subvert acute and chronic parasite infection using in vivo and in vitro models (see Konrad et al., Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013, 57(4):1815-22). The candidate is also expected to employ state of the art genetic and biochemical approaches to determine the detailed mechanism of action for these compounds.

    Position requires a Ph.D., expertise in animal (mouse) handling, biochemistry & cell biology,  and excellent communication skills (speaking and writing English). Submit CV and contact information for three references to Dr. Bill Sullivan (wjsulliv@iu.edu).

    Located in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) is the second largest medical school in the US and boasts an outstanding intellectual atmosphere and core facilities. IUSM was nationally ranked in the Top 30 Best Places to Work for Postdocs. Our lab is part of a larger intracellular parasitism group at IU that fosters innovation and collaboration. IUSM is an equal opportunity employer. Visitwww.sullivanlab.com for more information.

  • Postdoctoral opportunity in the CGEB

    Postdoctoral position

    Aging, frailty and the microbiome

    Location: Beiko lab, Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

    Description: We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow to carry out analysis of microbial data as part of a series of studies on aging, frailty and the microbiome. The project is a large collaboration that includes clinical and model organism components, as well as a significant amount of statistical and computational tool development to help with the interpretation of taxonomic and functional aspects of the microbiome.

    The postdoc will take a leadership role in the design of microbiome sampling experiments, and the analysis of large sequence datasets that will be collected in concert with information about health and social status. The postdoc will be charged with the interpretation of data, with development and validation of new analytical tools if necessary.

    Applicants must possess a PhD in a relevant discipline, with experience in metagenome data analysis and an understanding of the key issues and relevant tools in the field. An understanding of statistics is essential. Experience with DNA and RNA extraction and sequencing is useful but not essential.

    The position is funded for two years.

    To apply for the position, please submit a .PDF file consisting of a one-page cover letter describing your relevant experience and interests, a CV, and the names of at least two references, to Robert Beiko (beiko@cs.dal.ca).

  • Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

    Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Canadian Food Inspection Agency
    Posted: Monday, September 16, 2013
    Apply By: Wednesday, October 30, 2013
    Position: Post-Doctoral Fellowship
    Department: Ontario Laboratory Network facility
    City: Ottawa
    Province: Ontario
    Website: click here
    Type: Full-time, Contract
    Job Description:
    Applications are solicited for a post doctoral fellowship position in a Genomics Research and Development Initiative (GRDI)-funded project to be carried out at the CFIA’s Ontario Laboratory Network facility in Ottawa, Ontario. Current funding for this Fellowship is for 12 months.

    The project is focused on the identification of new molecular markers through sequencing and bioinformatics for the purpose of detection, identification, characterization, and monitoring of food-borne verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) and identifying sources of the pathogen.

    The main expectations for the Fellow are (1) to work with federal government bioinformatics and pathogen genomics experts on the development of an approach for the identification of outbreak strain-specific markers to develop simple PCR tests for rapid deployment to front line testing labs; (2) to apply comparative genomics analyses in examining the stability of genomic (molecular typing) markers in a model E. coli O157:H7 strain under real world field conditions in an agricultural production environment; and (3) to conduct comparative analyses of E. coli WGS databases for the purpose of evaluating the utility of a novel virulence indexation approach in differentiating various types of pathogenic E. coli (i.e., VTEC, EPC, ETEC, etc).

    The successful candidate should have significant recent PhD/post doctoral experience in molecular biology, particularly as applied in the analysis of microbes, and sufficient proficiency in bioinformatics and computational genomics to enable the application of these tools in the analysis of microbial genomics datasets. Previous experience with genomics of pathogens will be an advantage.

    The lead scientist on the project is Dr. Burton Blais of the CFIA’s Ottawa Laboratory.

    Applicants should provide the following information:

    1. CV
    2. A cover letter clearly demonstrating how the candidate meets the education and experience requirements of the position.
    3. Names and contact information for three references.
    4. Confirmation that they are on the NSERC Visiting Feloowship Inventory.

    To:
    Burton W. Blais, Ph.D.
    Section Head, Research and Development
    Ottawa Laboratory (Carling)
    Canadian Food Inspection Agency
    Bldg. 22, Central Experimental Farm
    960 Carling Ave.
    Ottawa, Ontario
    Canada K1A 0C6

    Tel. 613-759-1267
    Fax 613-759-1260

    e-mail: burton.blais@inspection.gc.ca

    Starting date: Fall, 2013. One year anticipated duration, possibly longer, contigent upon further funding by through the GRDI program.

    Application deadline: October 30, 2013.

    Stipend: approx: CDN$47,200 per year, under the Visiting Fellowships in Canadian Government Laboratories program of the National and Scientific and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

  • 12-week paid research internships for science undergrads

    The Mitacs Globalink 2014 student application is closingOctober 11! Students from Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Turkey and Vietnam are eligible.

    Are you an excellent student interested in developing your research expertise with top professors? Are you an undergraduate student from Brazil, China, India, Mexico, Turkey or Vietnam interested in exploring your field of study in Canada? Would you want to be considered for graduate funding in Canada? Would you like your résumé to include research, professional skills, and international experience?

    Mitacs Globalink 2014 can offer you an international experience like no other. Canada features excellent universities, outstanding research facilities, cutting-edge industry innovation, and unparalleled undergraduate training opportunities.

    Each year between May and September, Mitacs Globalink brings a select group of international undergraduate students (who have competed to join the program) to do research in universities across Canada. During their internships, students participate in research projects under the supervision of outstanding faculty members, work with graduate students & research associates, and experience the many one-of-a-kind educational, social, and recreational opportunities Canada has to offer.

    What Mitacs Globalink offers you

    • A 12-week internship that increases your knowledge of and explores hands-on research in your field of study
    • Access to Canada’s unique research landscape: applied, dynamic and innovative
    • A rewarding experience combining academic research at a Canadian university campus, professional skills development workshops and social activities
    • A chance for you to explore your independence and gain international experience in a new country
    • The opportunity for you to connect with potential graduate supervisors should you be interested in returning to Canada for graduate studies with a Mitacs Globalink Graduate Fellowship

    Interested in applying for Mitacs Globalink 2014?

    Read this booklet to learn more about the program, including eligibility requirements and instructions on how to apply.

    To be kept up-to-date on the latest Globalink news, sign up here and “like” the Globalink Facebook page for your country ( Brazil / China / India /Mexico / Turkey / Vietnam). If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact globalink(at)mitacs.ca.

  • 12th International Colloquium on Endocytobiology and Symbiosis

    12th International Colloquium on Endocytobiology and Symbiosis

    August 18th – 22nd, 2013

    Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, CANADA

    The 12th International Colloquium on Endocytobiology and Symbiosis of the International Society of Endocytobiology (ISE) is fast approaching. This is the final message you will receive before it starts!

    FINAL PROGRAM

     

    The final program can be found on our conference website below. If you are giving an oral presentation, please look closely for the date and time. Time blocks vary from speaker to speaker: please allow 5 minutes for questions.

     

    http://ices2013.biochem.dal.ca

     

  • We support Bust-a-Move to get better breast cancer care for Nova Scotia

    Bustamove Halifax is a fundraising effort by a partnership between the QEII, IWK and Capital Health to help build an integrated, world-class Breast Health Centre  in Halifax where all the necessary equipment is available, patient services are coordinated, and resources and supports are accessible to all breast cancer patients and their families.

    Our postdoc Susana Breglia has joined Bustamove and committed herself to raise at least $1,000 in donations for this great cause. Donations can be done online through this link or by clicking on the Bust-A-Move logo in our frontpage. Any sum will be greatly appreciated and will help towards this important objective.

    Help Susana reach her goal!
    Help Susana reach her goal!

  • NAI and SMBE Satellite Workshop on the Origin of Life

    21-24 January 2013Princeton University Center for Theoretical Science

    Organizers: Laura Landweber and Aaron Goldman

    http://www.pctp.princeton.edu/pcts/Originoflife2013/Originoflife2013.html
    The last few decades have witnessed the burgeoning of many highly productive lines of investigation into abiogenesis and the early emergence of biological complexity.  Planetary sciences and geochemistry have produced a short-list of well-studied settings where prebiotic chemistry may have led to the transition from non-living to living matter.  Major advances in abiotic syntheses of important biomolecules have resulted in an improved understanding of the relative availabilities of proto-biomolecules.  The continuing growth of bioinformatics databases has given computational biologists an unprecedented ability to reconstruct the properties of early organisms and ancient evolutionary histories.  Synthetic biology now allows investigators to examine the boundaries of life’s genetic systems and minimal life in the laboratory.  In general, the advance of astrobiology has expanded our understanding of habitability and life as cosmological phenomena.  This workshop will integrate these themes, foster new local, national and international collaborations, and actively encourage scientists from within and outside the Princeton community to pursue studies of life’s origins.  The workshop program will bring together researchers in these disparate subjects and subfields to address the questions of life’s origins in the astronomical, chemical, genetic, evolutionary, and information-theoretic contexts.

     

    Registration is free, but space is limited.  The Nassau Inn is the only hotel in walking distance from the venue.  Please make hotel reservations ASAP to guarantee a room at the Nassau Inn, 609-921-7500, www.nassauinn.com, group name “Origins of Life-PCTS”.  The cost is a total of $151.20 per night (tax included).  Cancellations or changes to reservations must be made in writing by 3 pm, 24 hours prior to the day of arrival to avoid being charged for any unused nights.

     

    Information about lecture webcasts will also be made available on the website.

  • First article published in the open access journal Protist Genomics

    Protist Genomics (PG) has just published its first research article: Gene discovery from a pilot study of the transcriptomes from three diverse microbial eukaryotes: Corallomyxa tenera, Chilodonella uncinata, and Subulatomonas tetraspora. By Jessica Grant, Daniel Lahr, Federico Rey, Gordon Burleigh, Jeffrey Gordon, Rob Knight, Robert Molestina and Laura Katz.

    Grant and collaborators present and describe new sequence data from three interesting protists. The data was generated through the technique called RNA-seq, which involves the preparation of a cDNA library our of poly-A enriched total cellular RNA (i.e. mostly mRNA) and subsequently ‘massively’ sequencing using one of the different types of ‘Next generation’ DNA sequencing available, in this case the authors used pyrosequencing (Roche-454).

    The goals of the study are twofold. First, to provide the community with valuable expressed sequence data of these three poorly known protist species, each with great potential to illuminate questions on eukaryotic evolution. The second aim was to share with the community the author’s experience at dealing with the technical difficulties of working with very difficult culture conditions. In all cases the organisms cannot be grown without the presence of large amounts of diverse bacteria, which poses severe complications for the preparation of RNA and subsequent bioinformatic analyses. The methodological details provided in the article should be read by anyone working on similar studies with difficult samples.

    Corallomyxa tenera is an amoeba-like protist belonging to the supergroup Rhizaria. This eukaryotic supergroup is the least studied from a genomic perspective, therefore the data presented by Grant et al. will result particularly useful in large-scale phylogenetic analyses involving diverse eukaryotic lineages.

    Chilodonella uncinata belongs in the Ciliophora, whose members are typically referred to as ‘ciliates’. Two ciliates (Paramecium and Tetrahymena) are widely used as laboratory models and have their genomes sequenced and analysed thoroughly. However, they are closely related, thus offering limited insight into the molecular diversity of the whole group. In addition to providing tools to study this particular species, the data from C. uncinata will also prove useful to study deeper relationships among ciliates and alveolates.

    Subulatomonas tetraspora has been recently described from anoxic marine sediments. It is a small amoeboflagellate, and thus far, phylogenetic analyses placed it outside of the known major groups of eukaryotes. Sequence data from S. tetraspora and other relatives are going to be critical to determine whether they conform a new eukaryotic supergroup.