Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Microbial Genomics

The power of vaccines to prevent infectious disease has been very clearly demonstrated recently with the incredibly rapid development of novel vaccines to prevent COVID-19 disease. There is also evidence that bacteria and viruses targeted by vaccines can 'escape' the action of vaccines and continue to cause disease - we saw this with COVID-19 vaccines and it is an established phenomenon with pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Innovative approaches are required if we are to maximise the benefits of vaccines and reduce the potential risks of escape or other negative impacts. We have developed novel vaccines to prevent porcine infection with Streptococcus suis. This pathogen is a major cause of disease in pigs, leading to losses of over 10% and half of the antibiotics used in pig farming are to prevent S. suis disease. S. suis is also a zoonotic pathogen that has caused a number of severe disease outbreaks in humans. In an Innovate UK funded project, our consortium is evaluating the effectiveness of our novel vaccines and investigating their potential impact on the host microbiome. In this exciting project, you will be responsible for analysis of samples collected during the vaccine evaluation trials, recovery of bacterial strains that may represent 'escape variants', generation of complete genome sequences from these strains and the detailed investigation of sequences to reveal changes that indicate selection for mutations in key vaccine antigen targets. You will also prepare DNA from a wide range of samples and conduct shotgun metagenome sequence and PCR amplicon profiling to investigate the impact of vaccine use on microbial populations. You will report data to the wider project team and the funder and lead the production of manuscripts and conference presentations describing the findings.

The Faculty of Health holds four Silver Athena Swan awards, which recognise our commitment to supporting gender equality within higher education. The University of Plymouth has a strong interdisciplinary research ethos which is supported by our three strategic Research Institutes; the Marine Institute, the Sustainable Earth Institute, and the Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research. As a member of our academic community, you'll be expected to contribute to our recognised research strengths. Working holistically across the University, you will be challenged to innovate, collaborate and deliver impactful research contributions as part of a systems thinking approach to addressing today's global challenges.

Following the closing date of the vacancy, you will be notified on the outcome of your application in due course. Anticipated Interview Date: Friday 4 April 2025 Our Offer Staff appointed within the Faculty of Health may be able to join the NHS pension scheme subject to eligibility criteria. When joining us, you will receive:

• Generous annual leave: 35 Days Annual Leave plus Bank Holidays & Closure Days
• Generous pension scheme
• Cycle to Work & Electric Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Development opportunities
• Enhanced family leave
• Flexible working
• Retailer discounts
• On-site nursery
A summary of our comprehensive benefits can be viewed here.