CAREER: Evolutionary Research and Education at CSU

在过去的十年里，来自不同生物学科的概念和技术已经为研究进化的模式和过程提供了新的工具。 因此，利用跨学科的概念和研究技能来探讨进化问题变得越来越重要。 在这个职业发展计划，进化研究，教育和服务目标，提出了介绍本科生，研究生和教师在科罗拉多州立大学（CSU）的新兴，跨学科性质的进化生物学。 研究部分的总体目标是将遗传和基因组方法整合到现有的侧重于蝾螈生物学的进化研究计划中。 具体目标是构建第一个比较基因组图谱的任何两栖动物和追求数量性状基因座（QTL）定位的生态，进化和发育的重要特征。 比较基因图谱将允许识别蝾螈和其他脊椎动物之间的同源染色体片段，从而提供了第一个两栖动物的角度来脊椎动物基因组进化。 这一目标将通过使用来自种间作图杂交（Ambystoma mexicanum x A. mexicanum A.虎纹）。 第二个研究目标将通过对两个独特的有尾目动物特征进行比较QTL分析来实现：变质失败（paedomorphosis）和肢体再生。 背景数据显示研究目标的可行性和意义。 教育部分的具体目标是：（1）协调发展一个新的，必修课程的本科生物学专业在科罗拉多州立大学：“BZ220：介绍进化”，（2）进一步发展一门课程，为高年级本科生和研究生，题为“BZ478：分子和发育进化。“，（3）建立一个经常性的研究生研讨会，重点是进化生物学，和（4）通过REU计划为本科生提供研究机会。 最后，服务部门的具体目标将是担任将于2004年由CSU主办的进化研究学会年会的会议组织者。 总而言之，这些研究，服务和教育目标的实现将进一步加强CSU的进化生物学计划。

0093251VossDuring the last decade, concepts and techniques from various biological disciplines have yielded new tools for studying patterns and processes of evolution. Accordingly, it is becoming increasingly important to pursue evolutionary questions that draw upon interdisciplinary concepts and research skills. In this Career Development Plan, evolutionary research, education, and service objectives are proposed to introduce undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty at Colorado State University (CSU) to the emerging, interdisciplinary nature of evolutionary biology. The overall goal of the research component is to integrate genetic and genomic approaches into an existing evolutionary research program that focuses on salamander biology. The specific objectives are to construct the first comparative genome map of any amphibian and pursue quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping of ecologically, evolutionarily, and developmentally important traits. A comparative gene map will allow identification of homologous chromosomal segments between salamanders and other vertebrates, thereby providing the first amphibian perspective to vertebrate genome evolution. This objective will be accomplished by determining the genome location of approximately 600 protein coding loci using existing material from an interspecific mapping cross (Ambystoma mexicanum x A. mexicanum/A. tigrinum tigrinum). The second research objective will be accomplished by performing comparative QTL analyses of two unique urodele traits: metamorphic failure (paedomorphosis) and limb regeneration. Background data are presented to show the feasibility and significance of the research objectives. The specific objectives of the education component are to: (1) Coordinate the development of a new, required course for undergraduate Biology majors at CSU: "BZ220: Introduction to Evolution", (2) Further develop a course for upper division undergraduates and graduate students entitled "BZ478: Molecular and Developmental Evolution.", (3) Establish a recurrent graduate seminar that focuses on evolutionary biology, and (4) Provide research opportunities for undergraduates through the REU program. Finally, the specific objective of the Service component will be to serve as a meeting organizer of the annual meeting of The Society for the Study of Evolution, which will be hosted by CSU in 2004. Taken together, accomplishment of these research, service, and education objectives will further strengthen the program in Evolutionary Biology at CSU.