PostDoctoral Research Fellowship

极地博士后研究将研究调节北极繁殖鸣禽拉普兰长刺（Calcarius lapponicus）昼夜节律持续性的分子和神经生物学机制。昼夜节律对于大多数生物体的行为和生理的时间组织是不可或缺的，并且主要由白天和黑夜的光暗循环同步。在极地地区，一年中的大部分时间都是持续的光明或黑暗，导致大多数极地动物放弃了昼夜节律。这条规则的一个例外是北极繁殖的迁徙鸣禽--它们在高纬度繁殖地尽管暴露在连续的日光下，但仍保持着节奏。博士后研究员将接受神经生物学技术的培训，以检查两个昼夜振荡器中的时钟基因表达模式（pPer 2）：下丘脑和松果体。申请方将（1）将生物钟基因表达与自由生活的长距动物的生物节律相关联，（2）评价活动和pPer 2表达的节律是否为内源性，以及（3）确定此类节律是否会导致极日的低振幅时间表。这项工作的智力价值在于理解极地动物昼夜节律功能的分子和神经生物学基础。 该项目是第一个研究极地移民的计时基因的研究。更广泛的影响包括为两名阿拉斯加土著高中生提供奖学金，作为夏季现场技术人员。研究结果将对人类季节性情感障碍的治疗产生影响。申请人将获得两位赞助科学家的研究和职业指导。

The Polar Postdoctoral Research will examine the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms that regulate the persistence of a circadian rhythm in an arctic-breeding songbird, the Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus). Circadian rhythms are integral to the temporal organization of behavior and physiology of most organisms, and are primarily synchronized by the light-dark cycle of day and night. In polar regions, continuous light or darkness prevails for much of the year, leading to abandonment of circadian rhythmicity in most polar animals. An exception to this rule is arctic-breeding migratory songbirds-- they maintain rhythmicity despite exposure to continuous daylight on their high-latitude breeding grounds. The postdoctoral fellow will receive training in neurobiological techniques to examine patterns of clock gene expression (pPer2) in two circadian oscillators: the hypothalamus and pineal gland. The applicant will (1) correlate clock gene expression with biological rhythms in free-living longspurs, (2) evaluate if rhythms in activity and pPer2 expression are endogenous, and (3) determine if such rhythms entrain to low-amplitude zeitgebers of polar day. The intellectual merit of the proposed work lies in understanding the molecular and neurobiological basis of circadian function in polar animals. The project is the first study to examine time-keeping genes in polar migrants. The broader impacts include funding the stipends for two Alaskan Native high school students as summer field technicians. Research results will have implications for the treatment of seasonal affective disorder in humans. The applicant will receive research and career guidance from two sponsoring scientists.