Postgraduate Opportunities

Interaction of Cryptosporidium life cycle stages with aquatic biofilm communities

This is a collaborative project between Murdoch University (Prof Andrew Thompson), SA Water (Dr Paul Monis), The University of Western Australia (Dr Peta Clode) and The University of Calgary (Prof Merv Olsen).

PHD SCHOLARSHIPS are available to investigate the interaction of the protozoan parasite, Cryptosproridium, with biofilms. The environment plays a major role in the transmission of Cryptosporidium, both as a vehicle and as a reservoir of infective stages. The protection of public health requires a clear understanding of the factors that control the fate and transport of Cryptosporidium in the environment. As such, the major vehicle in the transmission of Cryptosporidium is water, yet very little is known of the impact of aquatic biofilms in enhancing such transmission. Biofilms are a poorly understood and recently recognised environmental reservoir of deposited infective stages of Cryptosporidium. Infective stages can be released back to the water by detachment or biofilm sloughing, or biofilms could impede transmission by acting as a trap for Cryptosporidium oocysts and an environment for their subsequent destruction. However, interactions between Cryptosporidium and biofilms have yet to be specifically examined. A better understanding is required of how long oocysts can survive in biofilms, the factors that contribute to oocyst inactivation or their survival within biofilms, excystation and subsequent development and proliferation.

Students could be interested in parasitology, structural biology, biological microscopy and / or microbiology.

Eligibility: Applicants must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident of Australia who have an Honours degree of 2A level or higher and are acceptable for candidature in the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

CMCA contact: Dr Peta Clode

Recovery of microbial processes in bauxite residue sand under rehabilitation

APA(I) SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABLE to a highly motivated PhD student, to join the Soil Biology Group in the School of Earth and Geographical Sciences at The University of Western Australia (UWA). We are a dynamic, multidisciplinary, internationally-recognised research team. The project will be undertaken in close collaboration with the industry partner Alcoa World Alumina, Australia with further links to the Centre for Microscopy, Characterisation & Analysis (UWA), Murdoch University (Western Australia) and University of Wales, Bangor (United Kingdom). The student will work within a larger Australian Research Council Linkage project aimed at identifying limitations to the establishment of microbial communities and sustainable nutrient cycling in bauxite residue sand under rehabilitation. Australia is the world’s largest producer of bauxite. The process of refining bauxite to aluminium generates large volumes of residue. Few studies have addressed the issues concerning rehabilitation of residue disposal areas. Understanding microbial functions and carbon and nitrogen cycling mechanisms within this unique environment is crucial to long-term rehabilitation success. This project offers the opportunity to utilise innovative experimental approaches and will provide the student with an exceptional opportunity to train within the research and mining sectors.

Eligibility: Applicants must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident of Australia who have an Honours degree of 2A level or higher and are acceptable for candidature in the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Western Australia.

Stipend: The annual stipend in the APAI programme is $25,616 in 2007 (tax-exempt and indexed annually) for a period of 3 years, with a possible 6-month extension. A relocation allowance may be awarded where applicable.

For further information: Contact Dr Natasha Banning on 08 6488 3969; natasha.banning@uwa.edu.au or Dr Daniel Murphy on 08 6488 7083; daniel.murphy@uwa.edu.au

Biomineralisation

CLUES TO THE EVOLUTION OF INTRACELLULAR PARASITISM

also with Professor Andrew Thompson (Murdoch University)

Cryptosporidium is a common protozoan parasite of the gut of numerous vertebrate species including humans. It causes diarrhoeal disease which can be life threatening in immuno-compromised individuals and young livestock. Cryptosporidium can be transmitted directly from one host to another but has also often been responsible for waterborne outbreaks of disease in humans. Recent molecular and biological research on Cryptosporidium has challenged conventional dogma regarding the parasite’s taxonomic and phylogenetic affinities, and has demonstrated that Cryptopsoridium is much more closely related to a ubiquitous, primitive group of protozoa, the gregarines.

Gregarines are common parasites of invertebrates, and those most closely related to Cryptopsoridium, the archigregarines, are parasites of marine invertebrates such as polychaete annelids. These gregarines are much larger in size than Cryptosporoidium but share a range of features in common, particularly regarding the nature of the interface between host and parasite.

This project will involve a comparative ultrastuctural study of the host parasite interface of certain archigregarines and Cryptosporidium. It thus offers the opportunity to better understand how Cryptosporidium lives and survives in its vertebrate host, as well as the evolution of intracellular parasitism.

CMCA contact: Dr Peta Clode