Post doc in Molecular Mycology

[R.C. Barton]

THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS

DEPARTMENT OF MICROBIOLOGY

APPOINTMENT OF A POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW 
IN MOLECULAR MYCOLOGY

	A Postdoctoral Research Fellow is required for a 2-year project 
on the Molecular Strain Typing of Dermatophyte Fungi. The aim is to 
develop probes for fungal strain differentiation which enable more 
accurate investigations of the epidemiology of dermatophyte infections. 

Background

	Dermatophytes cause a variety of superficial infections of 
skin, nail and hair which are usually easily treated.  However, in 
certain cases, particularly nail infections caused by Trichophyton 
rubrum and T.mentagrophytes, infections are more intractable and 
infection often recurs following cessation of therapy.  In these cases, 
in order to determine whether the recurrence is due to relapse of the 
original infection or reinfection with a new strain, it is necessary to 
develop tools to distinguish between different isolates of these fungi. 
 The most sensitive methods of distinguishing between strains of many 
fungal species involve some form of genotyping, exploiting differences 
in the DNA of different strains.   

	There is a major interest in Medical Mycology in the Department 
of Microbiology and the PHLS Mycology Reference Laboratory is located 
in the Department - this is a national reference laboratory for the 
diagnosis and treatment of fungal infections and therefore there is 
ready access to the clinical isolates required for this study.

Aims  

	We propose to isolate sequences from T.rubrum and 
T.mentagrophytes which would be useful as probes for the 
differentiation of strains of these fungi.  These probes will then be 
used to examine the epidemiology of dermatophyte infections caused by 
these fungi, particularly recurrent nail infections.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

	The person appointed will have a PhD and a background in 
molecular biology, preferably with experience in genomic library 
construction and molecular cloning.  This experience would ideally be 
with fungi but applicants who have worked with bacteria or other 
microorganisms are also encouraged to apply.

	Salary will be on the Grade IA scale, £15,159 - £17,606, with 
participation in the USS superannuation scheme. The project is 
sponsored by the Janssen Research Foundation, a Division of Janssen 
Pharmaceutica, Belgium and is for 2 years. The proposed starting date 
is 1st September 1997 or as soon as possible after this date.

Applications

	Applications should include a curriculum vitae, with the names 
of three referees and a covering letter and should be sent to Professor 
E G V Evans, Department of Microbiology, University of Leeds, Leeds, 
LS2 9JT to arrive no later than 15th August 1997.

	Informal enquiries may be made to Professor E G V Evans, Tel: 
0113 233 5590 or Dr R Barton, Tel: 0113 233 5598. 


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