Version 2 Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras PhD Project Template Use one form per project Please complete & submit to international@nuigalway.ie as soon as possible, and by 27/11/2012 In your email, begin the subject line with [SWB] (be sure to use square brackets) to ensure that your email is filed correctly. Emails will be automatically filed PI name & contact details: School: Dr Cyril Carroll Enteric Pathogen Research Laboratory Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, NUIGalway. Ireland Email: cyril.carroll@nuigalway.ie Tel: +353 91 49227 Dr Gerard fleming Microbiology, School of Natural Sciences, NUIGalway. Ireland Email: ger.fleming@nuigalway.ie Tel: +353 91 49 3562 School of Natural Sciences Has project been agreed with head (or nominee) of proposed registration school? Yes Research Centre / group affiliation: Infectious Disease and Immunity Cluster. Discipline of Microbiology. Research group / centre website: http://ncbes.eurhost.net/infectious-disease.aspx www.nuigalway.ie/microbiology PI website / link to CV: http://www.nuigalway.ie/microbiology/dr__cyril_v__carroll.html http://www.nuigalway.ie/microbiology/eprllab.html http://www.nuigalway.ie/microbiology/dr__gerard_fleming.html Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max): If you are already involved in relevant scholarly activities relating to Brazil, please mention them here. The PI research is based on bacterial pathogens with specific focus on Campylobacter jejuni. Research includes: Detection and Epidemiology of Campylobacter spp.; Adaptive Tolerance Response in Campylobacter spp.; Biofilm formation; Bioactive Ingredients from Algal Sources Assessment of the effects of seaweed extracts as novel antimicrobial tools to limit Campylobacter infection of poultry. Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web): Development of aantimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter jejuni biofilms. Version 2 Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras Campylobacter jejuni infections are now the leading cause of bacterial gastroenteritis reported in the world. Epidemiological evidence suggests that poultry-meat is a primary source of Campylobacter infection. Little is known about the mechanisms for this organism survivel in its environment. Campylobacter are known to form biofilms and these play a central role in its survival and transmission within the food chain. This study will look at the levels of biocides clinical resistance in Campylobacter biofilms and planktonic cella (at the proteome and transcriptome level) and how might sub -inhibitory concentrations of these antimicrobials affect the long term evolution of resistance and the competitiveness of such mutants when they arise. The outputs from this work have very real implications for the use of prophylactic drug administration buring poultry rearing and the efficacy of drug treatment for campylobacteriosis as a clinical manifistaton of the disease. Unique selling points of PhD project in NUI Galway: Nuigalway offers a four-year Structured `PhD programme – with added learning structures to enhance the scientific researcher. Within NUIGalway Dr Carroll’s Group is a member of the Infectious Disease research Cluster which facilitates cross fertilisation of techniques and offers a forum for discussuon both within Microbiology and across other disciplines. Dr. Carrolls group is nationally persieved as a leader in Campylobacter research as reinforced by the PI involvent as WHO advisor on the incidence on Campylobacteriosis his has established links with Irish regulatory bodies and the Irish poultry Industry. Dr. Carrolls group is one of the few Campylobacter research groups which is actively using Chemostat technology to study Campylobacters physiology. The Co-PI (Dr Fleming) has over 30 years experience of continuous culture techniqueand has published extensively in th efield. Results eminating from his work have achieved international recognition as evidenced by global media interest. See links below. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8427399.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8427399.stm Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above: Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply: B.Sc in Biological Science; B.Sc in Microbiology; B.Sc in Molecular Biology; Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area: Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only Version 2 Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras one (tick box): Engineering and other technological areas Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)/Physical Sciences (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geosciences) Health and Biomedical Sciences / Clinical, Pré-clinical and Health Sciences Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Computing Aerospace Pharmaceuticals Sustainable Agricultural Production Oil, Gas and Coal Renewable Energy Minerals, Minerals Technology Biotechnology Nanotechnology and New Materials Technologies for Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters Bioprospecting and Biodiversity Marine Sciences Creative Industry New technologies in constructive engineering x Please indicate which of the following applies to this project (referring to Science Without Borders arrangements): Suitable only as a Full PhD (Y/N): _ __Y__ Available to candidates seeking a Sandwich PhD arrangement (Y/N): _N_