[IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] Position Announcement

The American Chestnut Foundation (TACF) is seeking a post-doctoral research associate to investigate the genetics of blight resistance in Castanea, to explore more rapid means of screening young plants or plantlets for blight resistance than are currently available, and to explore whether some components of blight resistance are not being measured by the current method of screening. Specific duties could include: inoculating sets of Chinese-American progeny, measuring canker sizes and analyzing the results; exploring whether a differential evolution of ethylene between Chinese and American chestnut can be developed into a rapid screen for blight resistance in a variety of tissues; using mixed models to analyze multi- generation resistance data; further characterizing progeny sets for sclerified phelloderm to determine whether it is a component of resistance; and other projects initiated at the discretion of the associate as he or she becomes familiar with this pathosystem. The Fagaceae Genomics Project was an NSF-funded project that completed its fourth and final year in September, 2010. That project is being followed by the Forest Health Initiative, which is funding this position. An integrated physical and genetic map of a Chinese chestnut tree is nearing completion and sufficient new data may have been collected to assemble its genomic sequence. Further resequencing of other trees, including American chestnut, is expected to follow. Additionally, the genomic sequence of strains Ep155 and SG2-3 of Cryphonectria parasitica have been determined and ninety-six progeny of their cross characterized for pathogenicity. The candidate would be expected to use these resources in explorations of this host- parasite system and to begin applying them to breeding American chestnut trees for blight resistance. The position is housed at TACF’s Meadowview Research Farms in Meadowview, VA. A new laboratory and office building has been constructed and the associate would be expected to help finish equipping it, depending on the time of arrival on site. Please submit a curriculum vita and lists of references to Fred Hebard, American Chestnut Foundation, 29010 Hawthorne Dr., Meadowview, VA 24361.