[JOB OPP] Research Assistant, EDINBURGH, emerging infectious disease

Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 14:58:48 -0500 (EST)
From: Lisa Meeden 
To: job-opps@cs.swarthmore.edu
Subject: [JOB OPP] Research Assistant, EDINBURGH, emerging  infectious disease
 database
Message-ID: 
User-Agent: Alpine 1.00 (DEB 882 2007-12-20)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed
Sender: owner-job-opps@cs.swarthmore.edu
Precedence: bulk
Reply-To: Lisa Meeden 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ian Handel 
Date: Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 2:00 AM
Subject: [Sbforum-general] Research Assistant, EDINBURGH, emerging
infectious disease database
To: sbforum-general@sbforum.org


Dear SBF,

University of Edinburgh, UK

APPLY YOUR COMPUTER SCIENCE SKILLS

TO EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

A 2-YEAR RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP IN THE CENTRE FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES
IS AVAILABLE TO JOIN A NEW PROJECT ON EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Background: Detection of novel pathogens and surveillance for emerging
infectious diseases present a massive challenge on a global scale. In
order to better target our efforts we need to gather as much evidence
as possible on the kinds of pathogens or diseases we should be looking
for, and where we should be looking for them. Over the last few years
there has been significant progress in this area, but the evidence
base is still relatively weak and of limited practical value to public
health planners. This project is intended to strengthen that evidence
base and to make it more accessible. The project is funded by
google.org and is the first project they have funded based in a UK
university.

The project has three parts: 1) estimating pathogen diversity; 2)
identifying risk factors for human infectivity; and 3) managing the
knowledge base. The objectives of each as follows:

        ? Estimation of the number of potential human pathogens out
there using discovery curves and biodiversity indices.
        ? Analysis of the biological and ecological properties of
pathogens associated with their ability to infect humans.
        ? Creating a dynamic, interactive database that will be an
accessible resource for the wider scientific community.

Job Profile: We require a computer scientist with an interest in
biology or a biologist with training in computer science. The post
holder will be responsible for managing a database on emerging
pathogens, developing methods for automated searches of the literature
and the web, developing a twiki for use by the wider scientific
community, and liaising with Google who will provide some technical
support in state-of-the-art computing. The ability to work well within
a team is essential. The post holder will work within a large group of
epidemiologists, statisticians and mathematicians.

Person specification: A good undergraduate degree (2.1 or 1st) or MSc
in a computing-related subject is essential. An interest in biology,
especially infectious diseases, is helpful.

Job description:
Duration: up to 2 years
Supervisor: Prof. M.E.J. Woolhouse
Informal enquiries: kath.tracey@ed.ac.uk
Salary: ?24,877 - ?28,839 per annum.

University of Edinburgh Vacancy Reference No. 3010481

Please address enquiries regarding this position to kath.tracey@ed.ac.uk

regards,

Ian


--
The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
Scotland, with registration number SC005336.


_______________________________________________
Sbforum-general mailing list
Sbforum-general@sbforum.org
http://sbforum.org/mailman/listinfo/sbforum-general_sbforum.org
________________________________________________________________________