Primary Supervisor: Dr Ali Raza | A.raza@uq.edu.au
Duration: 36 hours per week; onsite
Wolbachia is an obligate intracellular bacterium that infects insects and filarial nematodes and is transmitted vertically from mother to offspring. Wolbachia is of much current interest for non-chemical control insects and insect-vectored diseases because of its ability to induce cytoplasmic incompatibility (functional sterility) when mated to uninfected insects, a range of deleterious fitness effects (for example inability to survive winter) and reduced vectorial capacity. This project aims to transinfect Lucilia cuprina, the sheep blowfly, with Wolbachia and test the resultant biological effects, with a view to better control of this devastating animal parasite.
Expected outcomes: The student will learn techniques associated with cell culture, ovarial microinjection and a range of molecular and entomological methods.
Suitability: This project is open to applications from students with a background in Animal Science, Parasitology, Entomology, Molecular biology and Biological Sciences.
