PhD Fellowship
Fondazione Edmund Mach, S. Michele all'Adige, Trentino, Italy

Contact person: Heidi C. Hauffe: heidi.hauffe@iasma.it

A PhD Fellowship is available to study the role of microRNAs in
Ljungan virus infection.

The rodent-borne Ljungan virus (LV), has been associated with various
diseases in both rodents and humans. Given the potential global impact
of this virus, one important avenue of research should include the
control of infection.

Next generation molecular methods will be used to test the hypothesis
that LV generates pathogen-specific miRNAs to promote replication
and/or evade host adaptive immunity. The ecology and phylogenetics of
the Ljungan virus will also be explored using samples collected across
the EU. This is a highly ambitious project with potentially important
implications for human health.

Much of the laboratory work based at the Department of Biodiversity
and Molecular Ecology at the Research and Innovation Centre of the
Fondazione E. Mach, in the Province of Trento, Italy, under the
supervision of Heidi Hauffe and Azeddine SiAmmour. The student will be
part of a multi-disciplinary team of researchers who are partners in
several EU networks. This project includes an external placement (up
to 12 months) in the Laboratory of RNA Biology and Biotechnology,
CIBIO, University of Trento, Italy (PI: M. Denti).

Application deadline: 16 November 2011.

Start date: January 2012 or shortly thereafter.

Please see this link:
http://www.fmach.eu/sperimentazione_context2.jsp?ID_LINK=4277&area=6
where you will find more details about the Call and can download the
application form.

Please note that applications should be sent to: phd.fem [AT] iasma.it

Please contact us if you have any further questions.
Heidi C. Hauffe
Azeddine SiAmmour