A fully funded MS or PhD position is available at the Veterinary Education, Research, and Outreach Program (VERO; veroresearch.org) within the Texas A&M University School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. The VERO Program is an exciting new collaborative initiative located in Canyon, Texas and represents the future of agricultural and animal health research. VERO maintains a highly active research program, allowing students opportunities for pursuing graduate training related in a variety of areas, including animal health and production, infectious diseases, microbiology, microbial ecology, food safety, immunology, epidemiology, statistics, and data science. Successful candidates will pursue a MS or PhD in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program (BIMS), which offers a comprehensive educational experience that includes an integrates coursework with an immersive research experience (vetmed.tamu.edu/bims/degree-programs/phd).
The successful applicant will conduct research related to molecular and computational biology within the context of microbial pathogenesis in cattle. Potential projects include developing and applying molecular techniques to uncover the contribution of fungal communities to bovine liver abscess (LA) formation, linking species-level pathogen populations between LAs and the bovine gut, and investigating biomarkers (e.g., Mycoplasma:Moraxella ratio) as predictors of bovine respiratory disease (BRD). Projects will require the development of qPCR and amplicon sequencing (ITS and rpoB) assays. Multiple 16S rRNA amplicon and shotgun metagenomic sequencing datasets are also available for additional learning opportunities and/or publications. These projects are part of internally funded research led by Dr. Lee Pinnell at VERO.
The minimum requirement is a BS degree with an emphasis on Microbial Genomics, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or a closely related field. Priority will be given to candidates with experience developing/using PCR-based assays and using bioinformatics to analyze sequence data. It is critical that all VERO team members have a strong work ethic, and a desire and ability to work in a team atmosphere. Additionally, the students must be well organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated, and communicate effectively. It is a strong expectation that VERO students will support each other to promote the program’s mission and must have strong positive interpersonal skills. The position is available beginning Fall 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter. The successful applicant is guaranteed a research assistantship that includes stipend and tuition. Please contact Dr. Lee Pinnell (ljpinnell@tamu.edu) to be considered for the position. Include a statement of interest, CV, unofficial transcripts, and GRE scores. Screening of applicants will begin immediately, and the position will be filled as soon as a qualified applicant is identified.