May 2020

Job Announcement - Postdoctoral Scholar

A postdoctoral research scholar position is available in Dr. Luxin Wang’s microbial food safety lab in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of California Davis. The primary responsibility of this position will be to conduct studies that will increase our knowledge on the effects of antibiotic treatments on the microbiota present in aquaculture systems and the stress responses of common foodborne pathogens using next generation sequencing technologies. The responsibility of the candidate will be to perform and participate in all aspects of research projects: ordering equipment and supplies, designing sampling protocols, conducting field sampling and data collection, performing DNA extraction and library preparation, delivering data analysis using novel bioinformatics tools, writing reports, and preparing manuscripts for refereed journal publication. Projects will incorporate a range of experimental (cellular and molecular), informatics, and theoretical/computational approaches. Supervision and interaction with graduate and undergraduate students working on the project is also expected.

James H. Meyer Distinguished Achievement Award: Linda J. Harris

Congratulations to Linda J. Harris, FST Chair and Cooperative Extension Specialist in Microbial Food Safety, for being awarded the UC Davis Academic Federation’s highest honor, the James H. Meyer Distinguished Achievement Award, named after the late chancellor.  From the announcement: "She has developed an internationally recognized outreach program and is one of the most successful and important food safety microbiologists in the world today.

Colossal Cabernet trial under the California sun

A huge Cabernet trial is underway in California, encompassing 100 clone/rootstock combinations and covering 3.5 acres. Researchers designed it to help identify genetic variations that impart a greater resilience to climate change — notably, improved drought tolerance that will enable more effective and sustainable water-use practices while also producing high-quality fruit and wine.