Project: Buruli ulcers’ Most Wanted – Understanding the mosquito associated with the flesh-eating bacteria, Mycobacterium ulcerans.
McVernon Group
Aedes notoscriptus has been identified in association with the emerging bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium ulcerans as well as, being a vector of Ross River virus. Key ecological features such as bloodmeal feeding patterns and movement dynamics of individuals, are, however, not clearly defined. This project will involve both laboratory and field-based components. Firstly, field collections will be conducted in the Mornington Peninsula using a combination of trapping techniques, with the aim of obtaining haematophagous ‘blood feeding’ insects including Ae. notoscriptus. A range of entomological and molecular techniques will be used for insect identification, with Ae. notoscriptus screened for a series of genetic markers to understand movement estimates. Additionally, insects identified to contain a bloodmeal will be screened for host DNA using a high-throughput metabarcoding DNA sequencing pipeline. Both aims of this project will feed into a larger project, which is attempting to control Mycobacterium ulcerns in Victoria.
This project will involve both laboratory and field-based components. Firstly, field collections will be conducted on the Mornington Peninsula using a combination of trapping techniques, with the aim of understanding the spatial heterogeneity of Ae. notoscriptus and the frequency of MU detection in hotspots of human disease. Ae. notoscriptus identified to contain a bloodmeal will be screened for host DNA using a high-throughput metabarcoding DNA sequencing pipeline. Components of this project will feed into a larger project that is attempting to control MU in Victoria. This project is a collaboration between Agriculture Victoria in Bundoora and University of Melbourne in Parkville, with the successful candidate spending time in both institutes.
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McVernon Group
13 vacancies

Professor Jodie McVernon is a physician with subspecialty qualifications in public health and vaccinology. She has extensive expertise in clinical vaccine trials, epidemiologic studies and mathematical modelling of infectious diseases, gained at the University of Oxford, Health Protection Agency London and the University of Melbourne. Her work focuses on the application of a range of cross-disciplinary methodological approaches, including mathematical and computational models, to synthesise insights from basic biology, epidemiological data and sociological research. These models advance understanding of the observed epidemiology of infectious diseases and inform understanding of optimal interventions for disease control.
McVernon Group Current Projects
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Modelling spatial and demographic heterogeneity of malaria transmission risk
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
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Investigating combined impacts of interventions against scabies and group A Streptococcus using transmission models
PhD/MPhil
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Mathematical modelling of soil-transmitted helminths
PhD/MPhil
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Understanding the impact of new testing for infectious diseases
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
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Investigating the household risk of group A Streptococcus infection
Master of Biomedical Science
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Optimal design of competitive mixture experiments
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science
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Invasive Streptococcus A – piecing together clinical, genomic and public health aspects of the puzzle
PhD/MPhil
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Buruli ulcers’ Most Wanted – Understanding the mosquito associated with the flesh-eating bacteria, Mycobacterium ulcerans.
Master of Biomedical Science
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Bias in vaccine effectiveness studies
Master of Biomedical Science