Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Microbial Biology for FY 2001

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This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Microbial Biology for FY2001. The fellowship supports training and research on the basic biology of protozoan, microalgal, fungal, archaeal, bacterial and viral species that are not generally considered to be model organisms. Further, it provides opportunities for a recent doctoral recipients to obtain additional training in microbial biology, to gain research experience under the sponsorship of established scientists, and to broaden his/her scientific horizons beyond the research experiences during the undergraduate and graduate training. These fellowships are further designed to assist new scientists to direct their research efforts across traditional disciplinary lines and to avail themselves of unique research resources, sites, and facilities, including foreign locations. The research and training plan is entitled "Producing hydrogen gas from sunlight and water using green algae." The photosynthesis pathway in green algae can be altered to produce hydrogen instead of oxygen. This research tests if the algae's need for metabolic energy is the driving force behind this solar-powered hydrogen production. An understanding of this phenomenon will aid in the development of green algae as an alternative-energy fuel source.