PhD Studentship: Algorithms to Better Understand How Zika has Come About

The emergence of antibiotics resistance in bacteria and new organisms such as the zika virus [i] has major ramifications for public health. An important steppingstone in the development of strategies to combat them is to understand how they have evolved. The development of powerful algorithms and software tools to describe and understand the evolution of species, populations and individuals is one of the foci of the burgeoning area of phylogenetics which lies at the interface of molecular biology and computer science.

Firmly embedded within computer science, the project is concerned with the development of cutting edge algorithms and software for phylogenetic network reconstruction (essentially rooted directed acyclic graphs) [ii]. It combines elements from phylogenetic supertree reconstruction [iii] with the expertise of the supervisor (see e.g. [iv] and [v] and, more generally, the supervisor’s website at  www2.cmp.uea.ac.uk/~kth/Publications/publications.html). The successful applicant will have a good background in computer science or a related area. Biological knowledge is however not required. Informal enquiries concerning the project are welcome by the supervisor ([email protected] ).

Primary supervisor: Katharina Huber ([email protected] )

Start date: October 2023

For more information on this project, please visit www.uea.ac.uk

Entry requirements: Acceptable first degree in Computer Science or a related area

Funding

This PhD project is in a competition for studentships allocated to the School of Computing Sciences as a direct result is increased PGT student fee income for the MSc Courses in Cyber Security, Data Science and Computing Sciences.  All successful candidates will be expected to support PGT Lab sessions from October 2023 and related activities as allocated in support of these programmes within the working hours permitted for full-time Postgraduate Researchers.

Funding comprises ‘home’ tuition fees and an annual stipend (2022/23 rate is £17,668, 2023/24 tbc) for a maximum of 3 years.