Mycology News

Postdoctoral position– Microbial Ecology: Seedling pathogens and forest dynamics

A postdoctoral researcher is needed for a newly funded project on the
effects of seedling pathogens on forest dynamics in the context of
climate warming. Goals of this research are to identify putative
seedling pathogens in a temperate mixed hardwood forest, and determine
how seedling density, distance from conspecific adults, and increased
temperature influence patterns of seedling demography and fungal
community composition.

The postdoc will coordinate a large-scale field project and develop
and implement protocols for DNA-based identification of fungi. She or
he will be based at Duke University and work in the labs of Jim Clark
and Rytas Vilgalys. The project will involve training and supervision
of research technicians, and travel to field sites at Harvard Forest.
The ideal candidate will possess both strong field and molecular
skills and play a role in both the intellectual development of the
project along with management of data collection.

Start date: immediate through 4/1/2010

Salary negotiable

Requirements:

• Ph.D. in ecology, mycology, plant pathology, or related field
• Experience coordinating and managing large-scale field studies
• Strong laboratory and bioinformatics skills, including DNA sequencing and interpretation of sequence data to identify environmental samples
• Experience culturing fungi preferred, but not required

To apply, send a CV, statement of research interests (2 pages max), and contact information for three references by March 21, 2010 to Jim Clark at <jimclark@duke.edu>. Position is available in Spring 2010.

Mark your calendars!

Middle Atlantic States Mycology Conference (MASMC 2010)
The annual Middle Atlantic States Mycology Conference has taken place every spring since 1979. MASMC meetings also coincide with the appearance of many spring fungi including Morchella spp. This meeting provides new students, postdocs, and mycologists the opportunity to present their research findings and obtain inputs from learned colleagues, in a less formal venue than larger national and international meetings. This year’s MASMC and morel foray (go morels!) will be hosted April 9-11 by your friends at North Carolina A&T State University. Registration forms and instructions for presenters are now available on the MASMC 20120 web site (www.fungbiotech.com/masmc2010). Registration is due by March 26. Both oral and poster presentations are welcome. For additional information, please contact: Dr. Omon. S. Isikhuemhen (email: omon@ncat.edu), Natural Resources & Environmental Design Department, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411. We look forward to seeing you in Greensboro this spring!

Omon Isikhuemhen
omon@ncat.edu