Algorithms and statistics for advanced DNA analysis research student positions
For the first time in history, humankind has the ability to easily read and write DNA sequence, a code which describes the very essence of life itself. Global DNA sequencing operations currently generate 30TB data every day and the rate of this data generation more than doubles every year, outpacing Moore's Law. Sequence analysis has entered an era where classic statistical methods fail to scale and where fundamentally new "big data" approaches to computational, statistical, and mathematical analysis are required. Meanwhile, overuse of antibiotics in hospitals and agriculture has led to widespread development of antibiotic resistant bacteria. The number of deaths caused by infection with resistant bacteria is quickly approaching that of major illnesses like cancer.
A new computational genomics group is being launched within the ithree institute to study the evolution of genomes and the spread of antibiotic resistance.
Position description
Opportunities exist for PhD students with a strong background in IT, maths or statistics to conduct research on "big data" statistical algorithms for analysis of genomic datasets. In collaboration with physicians from Sydney hospitals, this work will contribute to the development of a next-generation surveillance system for antibiotic resistant bacteria. This is a research area with excellent growth potential - continued advance in DNA sequencing has created great demand for informaticians capable of analysing and integrating the large datasets produced by this new technology.
Contact
Email Associate Professor Aaron Darling for more information.