*Applications may be reviewed on a rolling-basis and this posting could close before the deadline.ARS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Animal Disease Center located in Ames, Iowa.Research Project: Under the guidance of a mentor, the selected participant will study the bovine immune response to Mycobacterium bovis infection with the overall goal of developing intervention strategies that will prevent or control tuberculosis in domestic livestock or other reservoir hosts. The participant will define the cellular and molecular immune mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of bovine tuberculosis by integrating cutting-edge molecular approaches with traditional cellular and molecular biological techniques.The primary focus of the research will be to understand how the immune system of natural hosts regulates gene expression in response to Mycobacterium bovis infection or vaccination with experimental vaccines. Learning Objectives: The appointment will include further training and application of immunologic techniques for analysis of responses of large animal hosts to infection with Mycobacterium bovis. Areas covered by the training may include cell culture, flow cytometry, immunologic assays, analysis of gene expression, sequencing techniques and/or computational biology analysis.Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Steven Olsen (steven.olsen@usda.gov) and the co-mentor is Mitch Palmer (mitchell.palmer@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).Anticipated Appointment Start Date: ~Winter 2020. 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 renewed upon recommendation of ARS 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 ARS. Participants do not become employees of USDA, ARS, 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 USDA-ARS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
