Vilgalys Mycology Lab – Duke University

We are seeking to employ a mycologist at our Edinburgh Garden who is or will become an international scientific leader. The successful applicant’s research will explore fungal diversity (e.g. systematics, ecology, evolutionary biology) to address societal challenges. As examples, these challenges may include but are not restricted to (i) the role of fungal diversity in maintaining ecosystem function and services, (ii) best practice in managing fungal disease threats to native (non-crop) ecosystems, and/or (iii) providing tools to promote human understanding of harmful and useful fungal diversity.

We are particularly interested in applicants who can demonstrate scientific excellence that is of international importance, and is also relevant to conservation policy in Scotland.

Applicants must be educated to PhD level (with PhD already obtained or about to be obtained). You should be an excellent researcher with a proven track record appropriate for your career stage, and have strong scientific writing ability. You’ll also need to be an effective communicator with the ability to clearly articulate the relevance of your research to both specialist and non-specialist audiences, and good interpersonal skills will be essential to develop and maintain effective relationships with colleagues.

A full job description and person specification can be downloaded from this page.  Ideally we see the postholder working on a full-time basis, but we would consider applications from exceptional candidates looking to work part-time.

Salary range £25,947-£30,442 with appointment dependent on experience

Further details of RBGE’s science can be obtained from www.rbge.org.uk/science. Informal enquiries or questions with regards to this post can be directed to Dr Chris Ellis, Head of Cryptogamic Plants and Fungi (c.ellis@rbge.org.uk).

Interested applicants should send a CV and covering letter, outlining the skills and experience you could bring to the post, as well as a completed equal opportunities form, torecruitment@rbge.org.uk by 5pm GMT on Fri. 29^th August 2014.

The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) is a recognised Centre of Excellence in plant and fungal diversity. Located in a UNESCO World Heritage city famed for its scientific innovation and cultural interest, the RBGE operates across a full range of activities from taxonomic monography to biodiversity genomics to ecosystem function and services.

The Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Oregon State University seeks applicants for a tenure-track faculty position in Evolutionary Ecology of Plants  or Fungi. The successful candidate will be expected to establish an innovative and competitive research program that pursues scholarly work in the area of Evolutionary Ecology. The research specialization within evolutionary ecology is open and includes, but is not limited to: plants,  fungi, or plant-fungal interactions (e.g., mycorrhizae, endophytes, pathogens, etc.).

Emphasis is placed on research that integrates across multiple levels of inquiry and combines field, experimental, laboratory and/or computational approaches, and relevance to natural resources and/or agriculture. The candidate will also contribute to undergraduate and graduate education, and serve as research advisor to graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and undergraduate students. Required qualifications include a PhD with research experience relevant to Evolutionary  Ecology of Plants or Fungi, and a commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity.  Postdoctoral experience strongly preferred. To review the position description and apply, go to posting #0012761 at http://oregonstate.edu/ jobs. OSU is an AA/EOE. For full consideration, apply by 09/15/14 when review of applications  will begin. Closing date is 10/15/14.  (received from Joey Spatafora, OSU)

Dr. Gerald Bills will be presenting a Duke University Mycology Research Unit seminar today, Friday, April 25, 2014 at 11am in MSRB 001.

Dr. Gerald Bills’ research combines fungal discovery with the application of molecular-based taxonomic methods that have transformed the field of fungal pharmacology.  Bills received his Ph.D. under Orson K. Miller at Virginia Tech in 1985.  Dr. Bills is a world-class authority on fungal diversity who has published over 140 articles, as well as numerous patents on fungi and natural products including several antifungal compounds.  Bills is a coauthor of the famous “Red Book” entitled Fungi on Plants and Plant Products (1987), which is still used all over North America to identify plant hosts and their fungi.  For 20+ years he was Research Fellow and later  Head of Fungal Biology at Merck, Shapre and Dohme.   Today he is an assistant professor the University of Texas at Austin, where he is able to harness genomics information together with knowledge of fungal diversity to discover new targets for antifungal agents.

Gerald Bills, PhD, Texas Therapeutics Institute
The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine The University of Texas Health Science Center
Friday, April 25, 2014, 11:00am, 001 MSRB
Title: Why do fungi make so many antifungals? 25 years of antifungal discovery

Mycotic Diseases Branch (MDB) at the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta (CDC) has a fellowship opportunity for a postdoctoral candidate.  The ideal candidate should have an interest in mycology and a molecular laboratory background.  This should be reflected by education and practical experience.  Experience with soil, environmental biology and genomics is considered a plus. 

The fellowship assignment would be to assist in the development a metagenomic-based approach for detection of Coccidioides spp in the environment.  This would be applied to study ecology and geographic distribution of this fungus.  Fellow will train in the development methodology for DNA extraction from soil and air samples and apply massive parallel sequencing and metagenomics tools for detection of Coccidioides DNA.

The fellowship would be through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) and would be location within the Fungal Research Unit ((MDB).  MDB is a leading institution for training scientists worldwide in the diagnosis, management, and prevention of fungal diseases.  The assignment would be under the mentorship of Dr. Anastasia Litvintseva.  Dr. Litvintseva is an expert on fungal genetics, molecular epidemiology and population genetics.

This fellowship is for one year with a possibility of renewal.   Opportunity is open to U.S. citizens and non-citizen eligible for J-1 VISA or other acceptable work VISAs.

Interested candidates should contact Ana Litvintseva at frq8@cdc.gov  or 404-639-1342.   For information on ORISE program terms and conditions, please visit link http://www.orau.org/.