U.S.-Mexico Planning Visit to Plan Collaborative Research in Molecular Ecology

9812311 Vrijenhoek这一美国-墨西哥奖项将支持罗格斯大学Robert C.Vrijenhoek博士计划访问蒙特雷，与蒙特雷高级技术研究所(ITESM-Guaymes，墨西哥)主任Guillermo Soberon-Chavez博士合作。他们将共同开发一个关于索诺兰沙漠鱼类的分子系统学、种群遗传学和保护的合作研究项目。Vrijenhoek是墨西哥索诺兰地区淡水鱼遗传学和生态学方面的专家。对罗非鱼属罗非鱼的研究表明，这些鱼是各种野外和实验研究的极佳模式生物。计划中的合作将调查索诺兰地区的人口状况，以评估溪流改道、开渠和引入外来物种所造成的人为影响。除了这项工作，Vrijenhoek博士和Soberon博士还计划在瓜伊马斯设计一个分子种群遗传学和系统学实验室，美国和墨西哥的研究人员都将利用该实验室对地区性动物进行遗传分析。

9812311VrijenhoekThis U.S.-Mexico award will support a planning visit by Dr. Robert C. Vrijenhoek of Rutgers University to work with Dr. Guillermo Soberon-Chavez, director of the Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM-Guaymas, Mexico). Together they will develop a cooperative research project on the molecular systematics, population genetics and conservation of Sonoran Desert fish.Dr. Vrijenhoek is an expert on the genetics and ecology of freshwater fish from the Sonoran region of Mexico. Studies of Sonoran topminnows in the genus Poeciliopsis reveal that these fish are excellent model organisms for a variety of field and experimental studies. The planned collaboration will be surveying the status of populations in the Sonoran region to assess anthropogenic impacts due to stream diversion, canalization, and the introduction of exotic species. In addition to this work, Dr. Vrijenhoek and Dr. Soberon plan to design a molecular population genetics and systematics laboratory in Guaymas that will be used by both U.S. and Mexican researchers for genetic analyses of regional fauna.***