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Seeking Post-doc position in Wolbachia research (08/10/08 Sridhar Arumugam)
Dear Researchers
I take this opportunity to introduce myself, I am Sridhar Arumugam. I am very much interested in continuing research in Wolbachia. I am close to completion of my PhD at Prof. Hoerauf's lab, University Clinic Bonn,
Germany and I am looking for post-doc position in Wolbachia research.
Here is brief description my research experience and interests. I did my bachelors in Microbiology from the University of Madras, India and with good academic records in my bachelors, I managed to assure a place in M.Sc Biotechnology offered by the University of Madras. I passed out M.Sc with good academic records in 2001 and as a part of M.Sc curriculum, I did my masters project work at Vector Control Research Centre (VCRC), India where I started working on lymphatic filariasis. My M.Sc project work investigated the presence of Wolbachia endosymbionts in mosquito vectors and filarial nematodes. The work made significant contribution as the study was first evidence for Wolbachia endosymbionts in mosquito vectors and filarial nematode from India. These results were published in international journals (Please refer the reprints attached). This initial research experience at VCRC further increased my enthusiasm to pursuit a research career in the field of molecular biology.
After my successful completion of M.Sc in Biotechnology, I started working for Qualpro Diagnostics (Tulip group of companies), Goa, India, one of the largest diagnostic company in India exporting diagnostics kits to more than 45 countries around the globe. During my work experience at Qualpro Diagnostics, I started learning the development of Immunological kits such ELISA, Rapid Immunochromotographic Test (ICT) and PCR-ELISA kits for detection of various infectious agents such as HIV, HCV, HBV and MTB. It was great experience to learn the development of immunological and molecular diagnostics kits and this also increased my enthusiasm to work in the parasite diagnosis in future. To further pursuit my career in tropical disease research, I joined VCRC as Senior Research Fellow where I worked on WHO project titled ‘Molecular Epidermiology and Genomics of Lymphatic filariasis’ where I worked on Polymerase Chain Reaction based diagnosis of Wuchereria bancrofti and studying the genetic variability of W. bancrofti stains using RAPD and AFLP analysis. During my work at VCRC, I gained experience in the basic molecular biological methods such as PCR, RAPD, AFLP, gene cloning and expression, protein separation and purification etc. And in 2002, I also presented my research work carried out at VCRC and Qualpro Diagnostics at 2nd Wolbachia Conference held in Greece for which I was awarded NSF travel grant. This conference participation provided me an excellent opportunity to interact with professors, scientists and students from Europe and USA. This is also increased my enthusiasm to do my Ph.D in Europe. Since I was working in Wolbachia bacteria of filarial nematodes, I contacted Prof. Achim Hoerauf, Director of Institute for Med. Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, University of Bonn. I wrote a project proposal with the guidance of Prof. Hoerauf and applied for DAAD-German Academic Exchange Fellowship. I received the prestigious DAAD fellowship in 2004 to carry out research in Prof. Hoerauf’s lab in Germany. My research work was preceded my 6 months intensive German language course which helped to learn and master the language of German.
At Prof. Hoerauf’s lab in Bonn, I have been working on molecular mechanisms involving endosymbiosis between Wolbachia bacteria and their filarial hosts. First part of my PhD work which involves the investigating the role of Wolbachia in the development of male and female worms provided interesting results leading to better understanding of endoymbiosis between Wolbachia and their filarial nematodes. These results are now published in a peer-reviewed journal, S. Arumugam et al. The International Journal of Parasitology, 2008 (Please refer the reprint attached).
Another part of my Ph.D thesis involves characterization and localization of phosphate permease protein which is up-regulated during Wolbachia endosymbionts depletion by tetracycline treatment. During my Ph.D work, I have gained vast experience in the modern molecular biological techniques such as quantitative PCR (qPCR), gene cloning and expression, DNA sequencing, Hybridization techniques (Western, Northern and Southern), cDNA library construction and screening of clones, isolation, purification and characterization of proteins and immunohistology. Excellent lab facility and infrastructure at the University of Bonn allowed me not only to learn new modern technique but also to upgrade my bioinformatics, statistics and computer skills.
The post-doctoral position in your lab will suit well to my research experience as it gives great scope to work on molecular biology of Wolbachia and Wolbachia-host interrations which has always been one of my prime research interests. Experience gained at qualpro diagnostics in the field of immunotechnology and experience gained in molecular biological at the University of Bonn would be very helpful for me to carry out successful research in the field of molecular biology in your institute if given an opportunity. During my PhD, I have also been working in animal models and hence show ability to conduct animal experiments which would be great asset to the lab. In addition, I have good command of English and German language necessary for interacting with people in the lab and I have also passed international English tests such as TOEFL and IELTS. I also did a 6 months intensive German language course at Carls-duisberg centre in Dortmund, Germany and I have good German language proficiency as well. I always believe in co-operative group work and I get along well with colleagues which always provides pleasant working environment in lab. Having had good research experience in Germany and India, I can show the ability to carry out independent research especially in field of molecular biological and diagnostics which will allow me to pursuit my career further in molecular biology in your esteemed institute. In addition, I am also well verse in documentation of lab work and efficient in writing laboratory protocols, manuscripts and in preparation of posters and PowerPoint presentations. I am very much interested in the post-doctoral position as my extensive research experience fits in well with the job requirements.
I kindly request you to consider my application for post-doctoral position. Please acknowledge the receipt of my application through e-mail at sridhar@daad-alumni.de, sridhar@parasit.meb.uni-bonn.de .
Sincerely
Sridhar Arumugam
Institute for Med. Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology
Universitaetsklinikum Bonn, Sigmund-Freud Strasse 25, Bonn 53105, Germany
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