stillingsbetegnelse:
Postdoc in Bioeconomic Modeling of the Efficacy of Differential Cell Count in Addition to Existing Parameters for the Diagnosis and Control of Intramammary Infections

jobbeskrivelse:
Section for epidemiology at the National Veterinary Institute is seeking a candidate to fill a post-doc position on bioeconomic modeling of the efficacy of different parameters measured in milk samples for the diagnosis and control of intramammary infections (IMI = mastitis) in dairy cattle herds. IMIs are considered the most frequent and costly disease for the dairy sector in the developed world. Moreover, IMI result in animal welfare impairment. The candidate will participate in the development of an existing model for the spread of IMI pathogens between dairy cows under the Danish situation. Mastitis management today is based on regular measurements of somatic cell count (SCC). However, SCC is an indicator for the total amount of cells in milk. More recently, differential cell count (DCC) indicating the proportion of individual immune cells involved (lymphocytes, macrophages, neutrophils) has been discussed as an interesting additional parameter in the literature. Adding DCC to the already existing SCC parameter has great potential as an effective tool in monitoring and early detection of mastitis in dairy cattle herds. The candidate will implement DCC in the model and study the impact of different control strategies to control and prevent IMIs using DCC as a surveillance system independently or together with other parameters and/or tests. The post-doc project is part of a larger project (EMCO-Mast) that is cooperation between DTU-VET, FOSS Analytical A/S and SEGES (formerly the Danish Cattle Federation). Thus the candidate will have the chance to cooperate with other colleagues within the project. Responsibilities and tasks The candidate will have the following tasks: •Together with a PhD student, develop an existing tool further to simulate the spread of IMIs between cows within a dairy cattle herd. •Model differential cell count •Examine the efficacy of SCC and DCC for the detection of IMI and compare it to other tests/parameters. •Examine the epidemiological and economic consequences of control strategies against IMI based on differential cell count alone or combined with other parameters/tests. Qualifications Candidates should have: •A PhD degree or equivalent. •Good experience in simulation modeling of disease spread and programming using R. •Good knowledge of dairy production systems. •Knowledge of animal physiology and animal health economics. •Good collaboration skills. •The ability to work organized, structured and independently. •Fluency in English and preferably also Danish. We offer We offer an interesting and challenging job in an international environment focusing on education, research, public-sector consultancy and innovation, which contribute to enhancing the economy and improving social welfare. We strive for academic excellence, collegial respect and freedom tempered by responsibility. The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) is a leading technical university in northern Europe and benchmarks with the best universities in the world. Salary and terms of employment The appointment will be based on the collective agreement with the Confederation of Professional Associations. The allowance will be agreed with the relevant union. Te period of employment is 3 years starting from 1 November 2015. The workplace is Bülowsvej 27, DK - 1870 Frederiksberg C. From 1 September 2016, the workplace will be DTU campus, DK – 2800 Kgs. Lyngby. Further information Further information may be obtained from senior researcher Tariq Halasa on +45 3588 6102 or on +45 3070 9439, email: tahbh (at) vet.dtu.dk or the section leader Professor Nils Toft +45 3588 6127. You can read more about the National Veterinary Institute on http://www.vet.dtu.dk Application procedure Please submit your online application no later than 31 August 2015. Applications must be submitted as one PDF file containing all materials to be given consideration. To apply, please open the link "Apply online," fill in the online a

Arbejdsgiver Navn: Danmarks Tekniske Universitet

Arbejdsgiver telefonnummer: 45252525

Arbejdsgiver faxnummer: 45881799

Job kort beskrivelse:
Undervisning og forskning på universiteter og højere læreranstalter

land: Danmark

region: Hovedstaden

krævede uddannelse: Ikke angivet

Kilde til jobtilbud: AMS, Offentlige arbejdsformidlinger, Danmark