Pathogens have a fundamental role in all ecosystems. The distribution and incidence of many pathogens is increasing, driven by human activities in combination with global climate and ecological change, leading to new emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) affecting vertebrate, invertebrate and plant species. EIDs pose many critical threats not just for human health, but also risks to food security where they affect species of importance for agriculture and aquaculture. As well as direct health and welfare impacts, such EIDs can cause extreme economic disruption amounting to billions of pounds in mature economies and have devastating consequences for developing countries and subsistence agriculture.
A key challenge in infectious disease biology is to understand the processes, which drive the emergence and spread of novel pathogens – such knowledge is fundamental to developing effective biosecurity policy, frameworks for predicting the emergence and impacts of disease outbreaks, and designing novel mitigation approaches. You will have a successful research record in an area of infectious disease biology, including the impact of human activity or environmental change on disease emergence and research into disease processes to inform the development of control strategies.
You will have significant proven research experience within the field of Emerging Infectious Diseases in addition to a coherent vision for the future development of their research, which will complement current research in biology, ecology, economics, and medicine at Leeds.
A proven record of achievement in international quality publications is essential to contribute to the University’s ambition to excel at REF2020. In addition, the candidate will provide research supervision and attract research students to the University and undertake a teaching load deemed appropriate by the Head of School, which will be significantly reduced in the first years of the fellowship.
University Grade 8 (£38,511 to £45,954)
For informal enquiries about the role please contact Professor Brendan Davies, tel: +44 (0)113 343 3123, email: B.H.Davies@leeds.ac.uk.
Ref: FBSBY1006