Faculty within the department of Biological Sciences at Purdue University are accepting graduate student for fall 2019 with interests in disease ecology and evolution. Information on the application process can be found at: https://www.bio.purdue.edu/Academic/graduate/prospective.html
Interested applicants should contact the relevant faculty before applying: Catherine Searle (Ph.D. students only): https://www.bio.purdue.edu/lab/searle/ Community ecology of infectious diseases in freshwater systems. Research in the Searle lab investigates the effects of species composition on disease dynamics. In natural systems communities can lose species (e.g. from habitat loss, pollution, etc.), gain species (e.g. from species invasions), or experience changes to population sizes and intraspecific diversity. These factors can influence the frequency and severity of disease outbreaks. To understand these processes, we combine field observations with experimental manipulations in the field, mesocosms and laboratory. Our primary hosts systems are freshwater zooplankton (Daphnia) and amphibians (with a focus on chytridiomycosis). Through these studies, we aim to understand how changes to biodiversity are altering disease dynamics. Interested students should email sear...@purdue.edu with a short statement of research interests, a summary of previous research experience, and a CV. Giovanna Carpi (Ph.D. students only): https://www.giovannacarpi.org/ The Carpi Lab investigates the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases, with a special focus on malaria. To gain insight into malaria transmission dynamics, our research is currently centered around three themes: 1) monitor malaria parasite spatial spread and how malaria transmission changes as interventions are applied, 2) quantify ecological and evolutionary dynamics of malaria parasites within-host (mosquito and human); 3) determine the influence of mosquito microbiome on mosquito susceptibility to infection and subsequent disease transmission outcome. We employ integrative approaches including field observations, laboratory experiments, next generation sequencing (NGS) and computational biology. Our work involves national and international collaborations with public health and research partners (Johns Hopkins University, Microsoft Research, Oxford Big Data Institute, Macha Research Institute). Prospective students should send an email to gca...@purdue.edu with the subject “Prospective Graduate Student”. Include in the text a short statement of research interests and as attachments a CV, an unofficial transcript, and a list of references. QUALIFICATIONS: Interested applicants should have a strong quantitative background and experience with molecular biology, genetics and/or computational biology is preferred. Ximena Bernal (Ph.D. students only): https://www.bio.purdue.edu/lab/bernal/ We study the ecology and evolution of animal communication focusing on the advertisement calls of anurans. Production of mating signals usually involves attraction of non-target receivers (aka eavesdroppers) that exploit this communication systems. Predators that eavesdrop on mating signals to find their prey or host are common but we know surprisingly little about the evolutionary ecology of this strategy and even less about their consequences on disease dynamics. In our lab we use a variety of methods and approaches to investigate the behavior and evolutionary ecology of interspecific eavesdroppers of mating signals and we are looking at understanding disease dynamics and co-evolution of disease transmitted by eavesdropping vectors. Applicants should be independent and highly motivated. Some previous research and/or field experience is necessary. Students are encouraged to develop their own research projects depending upon their specific interests. I particularly encourage students in disease transmission by frog-biting midges. Our work takes place in the lab at Purdue University and in the field in Indiana as well as at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama. If you are interested in joining the lab, send an email to xber...@purdue.edu. Please also include a statement of your research interests and accomplishments. I will contact you to talk about your experience and career goals so we can determine if working together would be a good match. Dennis Minchella (M.S. students only): https://dennisminchella.wordpress.com/ Evolutionary Ecology of Host-Parasite Interactions Our lab is interested in exploring and characterizing complex interactions between parasites and their hosts. Drawing upon both molecular and experimental field approaches, research in our laboratory focuses on the population biology, evolution, and genetics of host- parasite interactions. The research program encompasses 1) host- parasite coevolution, 2) parasite competition and the evolution of virulence, 3) genetic heterogeneity and the structure of parasite populations. Many of the projects utilize snail-trematode systems as models including the human blood fluke Schistosoma and its molluscan hosts.
