CAREER: Host-Endosymbiont Co-evolution and Host Speciation: Wolbachia pipientis and Drosophila simulans

9702824 Ballard这个创新的CAREER提案的目的是将Ballard博士的研究与一个针对芝加哥内城年轻女性和少数群体的三阶段教育、策展和学习计划相结合。该研究旨在验证共同进化理论的一个核心预测，即宿主和内共生体的相互作用应该从疾病进化到共生。具体来说，这项研究将调查自然发生的沃尔巴克氏体（Wolbachia pipientis），一种α变形菌，如何影响普通拟果蝇的遗传分化。沃尔巴克氏体病通常会导致未感染的雌性和感染的雄性之间以及感染不同沃尔巴克氏体菌株的个体之间的基因流动减少。该教育计划将建立学生对环境生物学的知识和兴趣，并将在学生和教师进行一个与巴拉德博士的研究直接相关的小项目时达到高潮。在第一阶段，七年级和八年级的学生将通过一系列的讲座、展览参观和“幕后”游览来介绍菲尔德博物馆。在第二阶段，教师和学生将参与讨论，他们将了解生物多样性和博物馆藏品的作用。他们还将参与一个物种级昆虫数据库的建设，这是菲尔德博物馆昆虫部研究人员的优先事项。在第三阶段，一部分学生/教师将进行一项有监督的研究，调查共同进化的一个特定方面，这直接有助于巴拉德的研究。这个分三个阶段的项目将通过提供与科研科学家直接和频繁的互动，建立自信，培养对科学事业的兴趣。

9702824 Ballard The aim of this innovative CAREER proposal is to integrate Dr. Ballard's research with a three-phase education, curation and study program that targets young women and minority groups from Chicago's inner city. The research is aimed at testing a central prediction of co-evolutionary theory that the interaction of a host and an endosymbiont should evolve from disease toward symbiosis. Specifically, the research will investigate ways in which naturally occurring Wolbachia pipientis, an alpha proteobacteria, influences genetic divergence in common Drosophila simulans fruit flies. Wolbachia typically causes a reduction in gene flow between uninfected females and infected males and among individuals infected with different strains of Wolbachia. The education program will build students' knowledge and interest in environmental biology and will culminate in students and teachers conducting a small project directly related to Dr. Ballard's research. In phase I, 7th and 8th grade students will be introduced--through a series of lectures, exhibit tours and a "behind-the-scenes" excursion--to The Field Museum. In phase II, teachers and students will be involved in discussions where they will learn about biodiversity and the role of museum collections. They will also participate in the construction of a species-level insect database, a priority of the research staff in The Field Museum's Division of Insects. In phase III, a subset of students/teachers will conduct a supervised study that investigates a specific aspect of co-evolution that directly contributes to Ballard's research. The three phase program will build self-confidence and will foster interest in science careers by providing direct and frequent interaction with research scientists.