Title PhD Scholarship Wildlife conservation
Location Macquarie University, Sydney
Job Information

Project title: Wildlife conservation: altering host-parasite interactions and impacts to biodiversity and ecology

Australia has one of the world highest extinction rates, with 54 vertebrate species becoming extinct over the past 200 years. In todayâ€™s changing world, the increase in emergence of disease represents a significant, but largely unrecognised threat to global extinction rates.

The threat of emerging disease is particularly important for conservation of endangered wildlife but risks of disease are heightened by the very actions used to conserve wildlife. Conservation strategies such as supplementation of wild populations with captive bred animals not only introduce endangered individuals to populations but also a range of micro-organisms that are inhabiting translocated individuals.

This project involves characterising protozoan parasites and bacteria of captive and wild brush-tail rock wallabies. The majority of research will be laboratory based and involves isolation of parasites and bacteria from rock wallaby samples, molecular analyses, taxonomy and phylogenetics. There is some opportunity to participate in fieldwork with project collaborators Department of Environment and Climate Change and the Australian Museum.

Applicants should have a current drivers licence and experience in any of parasitological techniques, molecular analysis or wildlife handling.

Interested prospective applicants should contact the principal supervisor in the first instance, Michelle Power, email: michelle.power@mq.edu.au, phone: 02 9850 6974Further information can be found at