PhD project
opportunity:
The role of diet and feeding regime in captive felid health and
welfare
An exciting project
is currently being developed with a multi-national group of scientists, aiming
to investigate the impact of dietary fibre and fasting in the health and
welfare of captive lions, tigers and cheetahs. Our research collaboration
includes institutions and specialists in the USA and UK, with
cross-disciplinary expertise in animal welfare, nutrition, endocrinology,
behaviour, and digestive physiology.
This 3-year project
will take a holistic approach to the investigation of the role of diet and
feeding regime in carnivore welfare. The project aims are to (a) describe and
compare a variety of health parameters associated with two alternative diets in
three carnivore species, and (b) determine and compare the effect of these two
alternative diets on felid response to fasting. The PhD candidate would play an
integral role within the team, and take responsibility for study
implementation, data collection, laboratory and data analyses, and data
interpretation. The project will provide training in a variety of novel, modern
laboratory, behavioural and analytical techniques, alongside the opportunity to
work in an internationally renowned zoological facility in the USA.
We are now seeking
expressions of interest from graduate researchers wishing to undertake their
PhD in this field. Several grant applications are currently under review to
fund this project (including student stipend and tuition fees), but interested
applicants should be prepared to assist in further grant-writing procedures, if
necessary, prior to this role being formally offered. The successful candidate
will hold a first-class honours undergraduate degree in a relevant field (e.g.
animal science, biology, behaviour, physiology), and will ideally have
completed (or be nearing completion of) a post-graduate degree or have similar
work experience demonstrating a high standard of research skills in a relevant
subject. Candidates with substantial laboratory-based experience will also be
preferred. As the PhD will be hosted by a UK University, only applicants with
EU citizenship will be eligible to apply, and the candidates must be resident
in the UK at the time of application. A
significant amount of international travel is required as part of this project,
including 6-8 months per year spent living in the USA, for at least the first
two years of the project. The project is
anticipated to commence in September 2016.
Expressions of
interest should be forwarded to Dr. Katherine Whitehouse-Tedd at
cheetah.research@gmail.com. Please include a detailed CV and a motivation
letter describing why you are interested in this project and what skills and
attributes you would offer the project.
Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
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