Young Investigator Fellowship in Epidemiology

The project will be developed in the Center for Research and Technological Development in Geoprocessing, Information and Statistics of the Department of Epidemiology and Technical Guidance of Superintendence of Endemic Diseases Control (Sucen) and the candidate should be based in the municipality of Taubaté, São Paulo State, Brazil.

We are looking for challenger and dedicated young investigators interested in developing study of climatic factors that potentially influence the life cycle of vectors of arbovirus, bacteria and protozoa, changing the life cycle periods of the immature stages, modifying the availability of breeding sites and changing the lifespan and dispersion of the adult stage. In order to understand these effects, ecological and epidemiological indicators associated with vectors of the Atlantic Forest Biome should be used.

The objective of the project is the study of climatic factors that potentially influence the life cycle of vectors of arbovirus, bacteria and protozoa, changing the life cycle periods of the immature stages, modifying the availability of breeding sites and changing the lifespan and dispersion of the adult stage. In order to understand these effects, ecological and epidemiological indicators associated with vectors of the Atlantic Forest Biome should be used, the proposal must have the following main objectives:

• 1) To evaluate which factors of the structure of the landscape and the climate are correlated to the vectorial capacity in the transmission of arboviruses, bacteria and protozoa.
• 2) To elaborate risk models for virus, bacteria and protozoan transmission in future scenarios of climate change, using spatial modeling to correlate the spatial distribution of the epidemiological indicators to the quantity and quality of vegetation cover, vegetation edge density, temperature and rainfall.

The results of this research should contribute to a better understanding of vector-borne-pathogens transmission, and to a lower cost and more effective implementation of surveillance and control of vector-borne diseases and its vectors, determination of risk areas and allocation of vaccination campaigns of human communities in endemic areas.

 

Skills and Qualifications

The candidate must have a PhD in Public Health or similar (in the area of Ecology or Geography) and prove scientific experience in the proposed theme. It is desirable to have experience in landscape ecology, climatology, epidemiology of vector diseases. 

 

Specific Requirements

The candidates must demonstrate scientific experience in the subject matter through publications in the last five years. It is essential that the candidate will be able to travel outside the city of his or her home for consecutive days or weeks at regular intervals throughout the duration of the scholarship, for the development of the field activities pertinent to the selected area.

 

Benefits

The project will be funded by São Paulo Research Foundation – FAPESP (www.fapesp.br/en), through its Young Investigators Awards Program (http://fapesp.br/en/6251). The award will be provided as a Research Grant with the maximum duration of 48 months. The selected candidate will receive a FAPESP Young Investigator Fellowship in the amount of BRL 8.152,20 monthly free of Income Taxes. The peer reviewed project of the selected Young Investigator may receive a Research Grant as described in http://fapesp.br/en/6251.

 

Eligibility criteria

To be an established researcher and to have experience of at least five years within the research filed as described previusly.

 

Selection process

The closing date for applications is September 30, 2018. The applicants should send their résumé (in pdf) showing his/her experience and highlighting his/her publications in indexed scientific journals according to FAPESP instructions (short CV FAPESP Instructions - http://www.fapesp.br/en/6351). The application should also include a short (maximum of 300 words) research proposal relevant to the area of interest of this position. Please send all the information as a single .pdf file. 

The candidates' curriculum, with proven experience on the topics described above and the submitted research proposal are key elements in the selection process. The candidate will receive an email informing if he/she preselected for this position by Professor Adriano Pinter dos Santos. The pre-selected candidates will be asked to submit a full research project by jp.sucen@gmail.com and the final decision will be posted in http://sucen.sp.gov.br by Superintendence of Endemic Diseases Control (Sucen).

The mission of Sucen is promote the effective control of diseases transmitted by vectors and intermediary-hosts in the State of São Paulo, carrying out research and necessary activities to advance scientific and technological knowledge and cooperating with municipal governments as executors of local control actions, according to constitutional provisions, as well as assisting them in the control of venomous and uncomfortable arthropods and other animals involved in the epidemiological chain of vector-borne diseases.

More information about the fellowship is at: http://www.fapesp.br/oportunidades/2212/

Eligible destination country/ies for fellows: Brazil

Eligibility of fellows: country/ies of residence: All

Eligibility of fellows: nationality/ies: All