Climate change has the potential to amplify the threat of mosquito-transmitted (arbovirus) diseases in Australia. This research project aims to improve mosquito surveillance methods and enhance our understanding of mosquito-borne viruses.
The emergence of SARS-COV-2 as a pandemic virus has demonstrated the need for emerging infectious diseases monitoring. Newly emerging viruses are poised to trigger future epidemics, or unpredictably change their interactions between animal vectors and humans.
Mosquito-borne arboviruses represent a significant health burden in Australia with the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System reporting increasing virus notifications across the country. Factors such as rapid urbanisation, global warming and meteorological events can create favourable conditions for the survival of mosquitoes which in turn may impact public health by promoting arbovirus transmission. This was exemplified in 2022, when Australia experienced an outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis Virus with 46 cases and 7 deaths. In 2023 there was an outbreak of Murray Valley Encephalitis with 9 cases, 3 deaths, and the first human case in Australia since 1974.
In NSW, arbovirus surveillance is carried out by the Arbovirus Surveillance and Mosquito Monitoring Program. This program operates from spring to autumn and performs molecular analysis (i.e., PCR identification of viral genomes) in sentinel chicken flocks and live mosquitos at laboratories in Sydney. However, arbovirus surveillance in the Hunter New England health district only includes Lake Macquarie to the South and Lake Cathie to the North, underscoring the necessity for localised surveillance and monitoring.
To respond to this need, this cross-College PhD project aims to
1) Investigate and improve established quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) surveillance of known arboviruses in local mosquito populations
2) Determine the types of mosquito-borne viruses present in the Hunter New England region by analysing mosquitoes captured during the 2022/2023 mosquito season
3) Characterise newly detected viruses using sequence analysis, molecular cloning techniques and cell-based virus characterisation. We anticipate collaborations across the sector including the NSW Department of Health and CSIRO.
By addressing these objectives, this project will contribute to the development of a local arbovirus monitoring platform and expand knowledge on circulating viruses to better understand the impact on public health.
PhD Scholarship details
Funding: TUNRA scholarship, $32,192 (2024 rate, indexed annually) for 3.5 years. For a PhD candidate, the living allowance scholarship is for 3.5 years, and the tuition fee scholarship is for four years.
Supervisor: Prof Nathan Bartlett, Prof Brett Neilan, Dr Camille Esneau, Dr Verlaine Timms
Available to: Domestic students
PhD
Eligibility Criteria
The PhD candidate will ideally have a science or biomedical background with some experience in molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics, virology and/or entomology. The candidate will have the opportunity for training and core involvement in multiple aspects of the project (clinic assessments, laboratory analyses, process evaluation).
The applicant will need to meet the minimum eligibility criteria for admission.
Application Procedure
Interested applicants should send an email expressing their interest along with scanned copies of their academic transcripts, CV, a brief statement of their research interests and a proposal that specifically links them to the research project.
Please send the email expressing interest to [email protected] by 5pm on 20 July 2024.