USDA-FS Developing New Strategies for Invasive Forest Pathogen Control Using RNA Interference

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

USDA Forest Service Office/Lab and Location: A fellowship opportunity is available with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service (FS) within the Forest Service Northern Research Station (NRS) located in the University of Vermont, in Burlington.

At the heart of the USDA Forest Service’s mission is their purpose. Everything they do is intended to help sustain forests and grasslands for present and future generations. Why? Because their stewardship work supports nature in sustaining life. This is the purpose that drives the agency’s mission and motivates their work across the agency. It’s been there from the agency’s very beginning, and it still drives them. To advance the mission and serve their purpose, the USDA Forest Service balances the short and long-term needs of people and nature by: working in collaboration with communities and our partners; providing access to resources and experiences that promote economic, ecological, and social vitality; connecting people to the land and one another; and delivering world-class science, technology and land management.

Research Project: The project is developing new tools to combat invasive forest pathogens, including chestnut blight, butternut canker and Dutch elm disease. Specifically, we are testing the efficacy of non-GMO application of double stranded RNAs specifically targeting essential gene transcripts from each pathogen.

Learning Objectives: Training opportunities include bioinformatics and design of double stranded RNAs specific to each pathogen, microscopy methods for visualizing the uptake of double stranded RNAs by pathogens, synthesis of RNAs, and advanced plant histology and imaging including epiflourescence and confocal microscopy to evaluate efficacy of treatments in greenhouse grown trees.

This is a training opportunity and a primary goal is to help applicants get to the next career step. 

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Andrew Groover ([email protected]). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: 2024.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year but may be extended upon recommendation of USDA Forest Service and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. 

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

ORISE Information: This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and USDA Forest Service. Participants do not become employees of USDA, USDA Forest Service, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email [email protected] and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past three years.

Preferred skills:

• Ideally the candidate will have some laboratory experience.
• Bioinformatics experience is also desirable.