This project is no longer listed in the FindAPhD database
and may not be available.
SAC is a Scottish organisation dedicated to innovation and the transfer of knowledge to the land based industries. Our 900 staff provide research, consultancy, education and training services to the rural and environmental sector via a nation-wide network of 3 campuses and around 40 business units.
This exiting multidisciplinary studentship project aims to assess experimentally the impact of environmental change on parasitism in sheep. This will be done through measuring life traits of parasites reared under different environmental conditions, followed by assessing sheep responses to parasitism (including anorexia, activity and immune responses) under different environmental conditions. These outcomes will then be combined to identify interactive effects of environmental change on parasite traits and sheep responses on ovine parasitism. These experiments will provide associated projects the much needed empirically derived evidence to quantitatively inform existing models to predict effects of climate change on risks of parasitism.
Applicants will have, or will expect to gain, at least an upper second class honours degree or an equivalent qualification, or an MSc, in a relevant discipline (e.g. animal science, biology, parasitology). Experience in working with farm animals is required and affinity to modelling biological processes is desired.
Funding Notes:
This studentship is funded to pay the tuition fees for UK/EU residents, and the successful candidate will be registered for a higher degree at the University of Edinburgh. The stipend will be £13590 per annum and the expected start date will be 1 October 2012. The student will be based at SAC’s Easter Bush campus, just south of Edinburgh within the Roslin Institute Building.
References:
Application packs are available from the SAC website www.sac.ac.uk/vacancies or by contacting audrey.johnstone@sac.ac.uk Tel +44 (0)131 535 4028 quoting reference SAC/10431_S/Houdijk
To have an informal discussion about this studentship, contact Dr Jos Houdijk, Disease Systems, SAC West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK; jos.houdijk@sac.ac.uk; phone: +44 (0)131-5353245
The closing date for the return of applications is 12 noon on 18th June 2012