PhD Studentship –Helminth Vaccine Development
An exciting opportunity exists to join the team of PARAVAC – A consortium funded under Framework 7 of the European Union, involving 23 partners from several EU countries as well as Switzerland, Canada, Australia and Peru. The aim of the project is to bring to market one or more vaccines for the control of helminth diseases of livestock. The work will further develop the research outputs already achieved by the partners, each leaders in their field, and link them with industrial expertise required for commercialization for the benefit of end-users. Prototype vaccines for gut worm, lungworm and liver fluke infections of cattle and sheep, and for a zoonotic tapeworm of dogs, have already been developed by the partner laboratories, and during the course of this four-year project further work will focus on optimization of immune responses, field trials, and disseminating information on the outputs to end-users. Applications are invited from graduates with a primary degree in any area of biological science, or in veterinary medicine.
If successful in applying for this studentship you will be based at University College Dublin in the laboratory of Professor Grace Mulcahy. This lab is working on the liver fluke (Fasciola hepatica) vaccine goal within PARAVAC. The group has a long track-record in this area, and also has active projects on helminth-mediated immunoregulation.
Applications (consisting of a Curriculum vitae and a letter of application outlining your motivation for pursuing this opportunity) should be sent electronically to grace.mulcahy@ucd.ie by December, 10th 2011. Informal e-mail enquiries are also welcome.