A PhD Research Assistantship (RA) is available to work with Professor Steve Krone at the University of Idaho. The RA will work on the mathematical modeling (stochastic cellular automata and some differential equations) component of a study of adaptive evolution of bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria and whose evolution can be studied in real time) growing in spatially structured environments and subject to fluctuating environmental conditions. This is an opportunity to be part of a highly interdisciplinary research project that combines experimental evolution and mathematical modeling. The RA will interact with mathematical modelers in other projects and with Krone's phage lab, which is one of three in the UI Department of Biological Sciences.

This project (Spatial Structure and Adaptive Evolution of Viruses) is one of four supported by the renewal of our $9.7 million NIH Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant. The RA will be part of our IBEST group at UI (http://www.ibest.uidaho.edu/ibest/index.html), a dynamic and interdisciplinary research group with excellent resources, and will have the option of working on a Ph.D. in either Mathematics or Bioinformatics and Computational Biology.

Qualifications: Student should be highly motivated, have a good mathematical background and ability to code in C++. Although no prior background in biology is necessary, the student should have a serious desire to learn about microbial population biology. Mathematically inclined biology students will also be considered.

The stipend pays US$20,000 per year; tuition, fees, and health insurance are also covered. In addition, funds are available to attend conferences.

HOW TO APPLY: For preliminary screening, email a statement of background and interests, TOEFL scores (for non-US applicants), GRE scores (if you have them), and a copy of transcripts of academic courses taken. Starting date is flexible.

Contact: Steve Krone (krone@uidaho.edu) to apply and for further information.
Web site: Steve Krone (http://www.webpages.uidaho.edu/~krone/)

Dr. Steve Krone
Professor
Department of Mathematics
University of Idaho
Moscow ID 83844-1103, USA
Phone: 1-208-885-6317
Fax: 1-208-885-5843