A full-time, 18-month post-doc is available in the King Lab at the University of Oxford, Department of Zoology to work on host-microbiome-pathogen interactions. The postholder will use transcriptomics to examine whether and how protective bacteria can alter real-time and evolutionary defences of Caenorhabditis elegans nematode hosts to infection by parasites. Commensal microbes can have therapeutic and prophylactic powers. This project will identify candidate innate immune genes/pathways affected by the protective bacteria and pathogen in our system, and importantly, establishing a role for the microbiome in shaping the evolution of host defences against opportunistic pathogens.

This post is suited to researchers who have experience with C elegans biology, evolution, microbiology, and/or host-parasite interactions. The postholder will be given the opportunity to contribute to the development and direction of this project. Thus, this position is ideally suited for ambitious researchers, who are independent, but also enjoy working in a team. The successful candidate will hold a doctoral degree (or near completion) in a relevant subject area.