ELS MQRES Genomics PhD Scholarship 2
Closing Date: 31 January 2008
Lateral Gene transfer and secondary metabolite biosynthesis in Pseudomonas spp.
A Macquarie University Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES) for PhD research is available in the Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia. This project is associated with a United States Department of Agricultural grant on using genomic approaches to identify and characterize unique genomic islands acquired by lateral gene transfer in biocontrol Pseudomonas spp, and is part of a long-term collaboration with Oregon State University in Corvallis, Oregon.
Bacteria that live in commensal relationships with host plants have profound effects on plant health and productivity, for example they can suppress pathogens and enhance access to key nutrients. Pseudomonas spp are prominent amongst plant commensal bacteria, and strains have been shown to protect diverse plant species from a variety of pathogens. This project will use a variety of genomic approaches to identify novel genomic islands involved in the suppression of plant pathogens in biocontrol Pseudomonas isolates that we are currently sequencing. Microarray expression analyses will be used to investigate the global regulation of novel secondary metabolite gene clusters and biocontrol-associated genomic islands, and molecular biology and biochemical approaches will be utilized to characterize specific antimicrobial secondary metabolite transport, regulatory and biosynthesis genes.
MQRES Scholarships are available to Australian and international students. Applicants should have completed either an Australian four-year undergraduate degree in molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, etc or a related discipline with first class honours, or demonstrate equivalent research qualifications (such as a Masters course with substantial research component) from an Australian or overseas University.
MQRES scholarships pay a stipend, currently $A20,007 per annum, tax exempt (2008). The tenure of the scholarship is a maximum 3.5 years full time, subject to satisfactory progress. Tuition fees will be funded for the scholarship tenure.
Further information on the project may be obtained by contacting the supervisor: Professor Ian Paulsen, email: ipaulsen@cbms.mq.edu.au , telephone: +61 - 2 - 9850 8152, web: www.membranetransport.org/ian/home.shtml.
Application forms (see below), and conditions for MQRES awards, are available from the Higher Degree Research Office, telephone +61-2-9850 7663, or e-mail: hdrschol@vc.mq.edu.au.
Applications should be forwarded to:
The Scholarship Officer
The Research Hub
Level 3, C5C East
Macquarie University NSW 2109
AUSTRALIA
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