An 18 months post-doctoral position is available at the INRA BIOGER research center, Grignon, France (30 mn from Paris).
We are looking for a mathematician with a keen interest in biological systems, or an experienced programmer with interest in modelling population/epidemic systems (preferably with stochastic components).
The project will be developed in collaboration with Frank Van den Bosch, Rothamsted Research (UK), leader of the Population dynamics and evolutionary ecology group, and is linked to ongoing research projects between our groups.
This project forms a key component of the INRA-BBSRC funded project "Epidemiological and evolutionary models for invasion and persistence of disease". The overall aim of the project is to devise and test modeling and experimental protocols to analyze and predict the effects of genetic control on the evolution, invasion and persistence of plant pathogens and the consequences of these for the design and durability of resistant varieties.
Closing date for the application is 31 august 2007.
For further information, see : http://www.international.inra.fr/join_us/positions/post_doctoral_positions/current_offers
Application
Applicants should send a letter of application, resume, list of publications and two reference letters to
Christian.Lannou@grignon.inra.fr
Dr. C. Lannou
Laboratoire de Pathologie Végétale
INRA
BP 01
F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
Project Description :
Invasion of a virulent mutant in a background of a resident strain.
[keywords : Epidemiology ; Crop resistance management ; Stochastic model ; Spatial structure]
Resistance to pathogens in cultivated plants is largely determined by monogenic resistance factors. In most situations, these resistance factors are overcome by the pathogen within a few years. Large research efforts are currently developed to extend the durability of plant resistance to diseases, either by introducing original combinations of resistance factors in new varieties or by developing crop management strategies to preserve the efficacy of the newly deployed resistance genes.
Prediction of resistance durability is largely based on mutation rates (mutation from avirulent to virulent) and fitness costs (detrimental effect of this mutation to the pathogen fitness). However, a rapid examination of published data on mutation rates and population sizes suggest that any new resistance gene should be overcome instantly after its introduction in a crop. Yet durability of resistance is reported to be in the order of years to decades.
The objective of the post-doc project will be to test a sequence of hypotheses that might explain why durability is not well predicted by the basic information on mutation rate and virulence cost. Particularly, the effect of the local spatial structure of the system will be examined, as well as the consequences of demographic stochasticity.
To test these hypotheses, a stochastic model for the invasion of a mutant in a background of a resident strain will be developed and analyzed.
The project will be largely based on data sets collected and analyzed by the Epidemiology group of BIOGER and describing wheat leaf rust (Puccinia triticina, a fungal pathogen of wheat) epidemiology : spore production ( Rimé D. et al. 2005. Plant Pathology 54:287-298 ; Robert C. et al. 2004. Phytopathology 94:712-721 ) local spore dispersal ( Soubeyrand S. et al. 2006. Journal of Data Science 5:67-83 ; Soubeyrand S. et al. 2006. Statistical Methodology 3:464-482 ), leaf colonization and autoinfection (unpublished), population structures ( Goyeau H. et al. 2006. Phytopathology 96:264-273 ; Goyeau H. et al. 2007. Fungal Genetics and Biology 44:474-483 ).
The Epidemiology group, BIOGER, INRA Grignon, develops research on fungal disease epidemiology and host resistance management. Re-introducing functional biodiversity in crops for resistance characters provides an ecological approach to disease control and could contribute to the sustainability of crop production.
The project will be developed in collaboration with Frank Van den Bosch, Rothamsted Research (UK), leader of the Population dynamics and evolutionary ecology group. The central theme of this group is the development and application of parsimonious, generic models to study the population dynamics and evolutionary ecology of plants and their pathogens.
This postdoc will be part of a INRA-BBSRC project, involving INRA BIOGER (Grignon, France), INRA Bio3P (Rennes, France), Rothamsted Research (UK) and Cambridge University (UK). The post-doc might be expected to have protracted stays at Rothamsted to develop the modelling.
We are looking for a mathematician with a keen interest in biological systems, or an experienced programmer with interest in modelling population/epidemic systems (preferably with stochastic components).
The project will be developed in collaboration with Frank Van den Bosch, Rothamsted Research (UK), leader of the Population dynamics and evolutionary ecology group, and is linked to ongoing research projects between our groups.
This project forms a key component of the INRA-BBSRC funded project "Epidemiological and evolutionary models for invasion and persistence of disease". The overall aim of the project is to devise and test modeling and experimental protocols to analyze and predict the effects of genetic control on the evolution, invasion and persistence of plant pathogens and the consequences of these for the design and durability of resistant varieties.
Closing date for the application is 31 august 2007.
For further information, see : http://www.international.inra.fr/join_us/positions/post_doctoral_positions/current_offers
Application
Applicants should send a letter of application, resume, list of publications and two reference letters to
Christian.Lannou@grignon.inra.fr
Dr. C. Lannou
Laboratoire de Pathologie Végétale
INRA
BP 01
F-78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
Project Description :
Invasion of a virulent mutant in a background of a resident strain.
[keywords : Epidemiology ; Crop resistance management ; Stochastic model ; Spatial structure]
Resistance to pathogens in cultivated plants is largely determined by monogenic resistance factors. In most situations, these resistance factors are overcome by the pathogen within a few years. Large research efforts are currently developed to extend the durability of plant resistance to diseases, either by introducing original combinations of resistance factors in new varieties or by developing crop management strategies to preserve the efficacy of the newly deployed resistance genes.
Prediction of resistance durability is largely based on mutation rates (mutation from avirulent to virulent) and fitness costs (detrimental effect of this mutation to the pathogen fitness). However, a rapid examination of published data on mutation rates and population sizes suggest that any new resistance gene should be overcome instantly after its introduction in a crop. Yet durability of resistance is reported to be in the order of years to decades.
The objective of the post-doc project will be to test a sequence of hypotheses that might explain why durability is not well predicted by the basic information on mutation rate and virulence cost. Particularly, the effect of the local spatial structure of the system will be examined, as well as the consequences of demographic stochasticity.
To test these hypotheses, a stochastic model for the invasion of a mutant in a background of a resident strain will be developed and analyzed.
The project will be largely based on data sets collected and analyzed by the Epidemiology group of BIOGER and describing wheat leaf rust (Puccinia triticina, a fungal pathogen of wheat) epidemiology : spore production ( Rimé D. et al. 2005. Plant Pathology 54:287-298 ; Robert C. et al. 2004. Phytopathology 94:712-721 ) local spore dispersal ( Soubeyrand S. et al. 2006. Journal of Data Science 5:67-83 ; Soubeyrand S. et al. 2006. Statistical Methodology 3:464-482 ), leaf colonization and autoinfection (unpublished), population structures ( Goyeau H. et al. 2006. Phytopathology 96:264-273 ; Goyeau H. et al. 2007. Fungal Genetics and Biology 44:474-483 ).
The Epidemiology group, BIOGER, INRA Grignon, develops research on fungal disease epidemiology and host resistance management. Re-introducing functional biodiversity in crops for resistance characters provides an ecological approach to disease control and could contribute to the sustainability of crop production.
The project will be developed in collaboration with Frank Van den Bosch, Rothamsted Research (UK), leader of the Population dynamics and evolutionary ecology group. The central theme of this group is the development and application of parsimonious, generic models to study the population dynamics and evolutionary ecology of plants and their pathogens.
This postdoc will be part of a INRA-BBSRC project, involving INRA BIOGER (Grignon, France), INRA Bio3P (Rennes, France), Rothamsted Research (UK) and Cambridge University (UK). The post-doc might be expected to have protracted stays at Rothamsted to develop the modelling.
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