UNDERGRADUATE
Undergraduate students are welcome to join my lab and participate in work in a number of aspects of my research program. Such work would provide opportunities for learning bacterial culture, field ecology, computer modeling, experimental infections, and molecular techniques, as well as exposure to experimental design and data analysis. Participation in lab meetings and general enthusiasm for the subject matter is expected. If you are interested, contact me.
GRADUATE
Students interested in working on the ecology and evolution of disease causing organisms are welcome to contact me regarding graduate work. Prospective graduate students with the intention of working in my lab can apply to either the Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group (CAMB) in the School of Medicine or the Biology Graduate Group. I entertain graduate student projects involving evolutionary biology and ecology, regardless of the study organism; although projects within my areas of expertise are more likely to quickly yield results. Students joining the lab generally begin by taking part in an ongoing project in my research program to gain research skills and experience. Graduate students will develop their own research project for their thesis and direct their own research program more independently. If you are interested in doing graduate work in my lab, contact me by email.
POST DOCTORAL ASSOCIATE
We are searching for a postdoctoral researcher to address the causes of variation in host and pathogen populations and their consequences to evolution and public health. We address these issues by a combination of laboratory, field, and computational studies.
These studies will integrate across three scales of biological complexity – molecular-level, organism-level, and population-level – to identify the molecular and ecological mechanisms maintaining the polymorphism at a protein exposed on the bacterial surface and to determine the consequences of these mechanisms on the distribution and abundance of B. burgdorferi and on human Lyme disease risk.
The position requires a highly motivated, enthusiastic, and enquiring individual with a background in evolutionary biology, ecology, statistics, or related fields. Molecular and field experience would be advantageous. Good quantitative skills are essential. The duties of the postdoctoral researcher can include designing and troubleshooting advanced molecular tools, processing and analyzing next generation sequence data including quality control and bioinformatics, and interfacing with computer scientists to identify criteria that can improve protocol efficacy.
The Department of Biology has a long-standing tradition of maintaining an integrated research and educational program across all basic biological sciences including Ecology and Evolution, Plant Sciences, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Genomics, and Neuroscience. The Department values interdisciplinary research, collaboration, and collegiality, emphasizing Life in its Natural Context. The University of Pennsylvania has a strong group of evolutionary biologists that frequently interact with each other and with an accomplished group of microbiologists in the Medical and Veterinary schools. Unlikely many universities, the proximity of the medical, veterinary, and arts and science schools are centrally located on the Philadelphia campus, which promotes a cross-talk and collaboration. The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. Salary is commensurate with experience based on the NIH guidelines.
To apply, please send (1) a cover letter outlining your previous experiences that make you suited for this position as well as your research, training, and career goals, (2) CV, and (3) Contact information for 3 references via email to dbrisson@sas.upenn.edu.