Funded MSc/PhD Positions Available : Ecology of Antimicrobial Resistance in Agriculture
Within the context of better understanding the role that agriculture may play in promoting antibiotic resistance, graduate student positions are available for individuals who will conduct research on the dynamics of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance determinants in agroecosystems. Relevant areas of focus will include 1) Dynamics of genes associated with antibiotic resistance following land application of manures or biosolids ; 2) Interactions of antibiotic drug residues with soil microorganisms ; 3) The fate in an animal model microbiome of antimicrobial resistance genes and associated genetic elements following ingestion of environmental samples. A variety of microbiological, molecular and biochemical techniques are used in the laboratory, including, but not limited to, culture-dependent/independent techniques, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, nucleic acid extraction, and quantitative-real time PCR. Field experiments are undertaken on the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Research farm. Students will be registered in the Department of Biology at the University of Western Ontario, with research undertaken in the laboratories of Drs. Ed Topp and Michael Fruci at the AAFC Research Centre in London, Ontario.
Postdoctoral Research Associate Position : Ecology of antimicrobial resistance in food production systems
A postdoctoral position is available with Dr. Ed Topp, at the London Research & Development Centre, Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), and the Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, London Ontario.
The research concerns the dynamics and ecology of antimicrobial resistance genes and associated genetic elements in animal and human wastes commonly used as fertilizers in crop production systems. The work will build on field and laboratory experiments that have now been ongoing for several years. Project funding is provided by the Canadian Institute for Health Research through the Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance (JPIAMR https://www.jpiamr.eu/). The project team includes colleagues from the University of Guelph, as well as colleagues from Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Israel, Romania and Switzerland. The successful candidate will thus have the opportunity for stimulating interactions with Canadian and international colleagues working on complementary research concerning the management of AMR development and transmission in food production systems.
