NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2012

2012 财年 NSF 生物学博士后奖学金

• 批准号: 1202759
• 负责人: Maxine Zylberberg
• 金额: $ 25.05万
• 依托单位: Zylberberg Maxine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1202759&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; Postdoctoral; Fellowship; Biology; FY

Viral communities of the Papua New Guinea avifauna Migratory birds spreading avian flu, bats serving as SARS reservoirs, and the spread of West Nile virus have highlighted the importance of epidemic disease in today's globalized world. Understanding the processes that facilitate disease spread in wildlife is crucial for conservation and human health. Using new and previously collected samples from Papua New Guinea, the evolution and distribution of viruses will be described. High throughput, metagenomic sequencing will be conducted using blood samples and cloacal swabs collected from hundreds of birds across 20 islands. The resulting data will be used to assemble virus genomes and classify viruses. This information along with information on island characteristics (i.e., size, isolation, human disturbance, avian community) will be used to test hypotheses regarding the factors underlying viral evolution and biogeography.This work will provide critical insights into the importance of variation in geography, human influence, and host species to the spread and distribution of pathogens, and a basis for improving models of disease emergence. In conducting this research, the Fellow will develop new quantitative, computational, and laboratory skills, which will enhance her ability to develop, lead and carry out a multi-faceted, cross-disciplinary research program on wildlife disease ecology. In addition to conducting research, the Fellow will mentor undergraduates through the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) Summer Systematics Institute, and develop skills in teaching the public about science through CAS's museum programs. This project will also provide excellent opportunities for both minority undergraduate students in the Bay Area and Papua New Guinea locals to learn to conduct research, allowing the Fellow to continue to work towards her goal of broadening participation of minorities and women in science.

传播禽流感的巴布亚新几内亚鸟类候鸟、作为SARS水库的蝙蝠以及西尼罗河病毒的传播等病毒群突出了流行病在当今全球化世界中的重要性。了解促进疾病在野生动物中传播的过程对保护和人类健康至关重要。将使用从巴布亚新几内亚新收集的新样本和以前收集的样本，描述病毒的进化和分布。高通量的超基因组测序将使用从20个岛屿上数百只鸟身上收集的血液样本和泄殖腔拭子进行。由此产生的数据将用于组装病毒基因组和对病毒进行分类。这些信息以及有关岛屿特征的信息(即大小、隔离、人类干扰、鸟类群落)将被用来检验关于病毒进化和生物地理因素的假设。这项工作将提供对地理、人类影响和宿主物种变化对病原体传播和分布的重要性的关键见解，并为改进疾病出现模型提供基础。在进行这项研究时，这位研究员将发展新的量化、计算和实验室技能，这将增强她开发、领导和执行野生动物疾病生态学的多方面、跨学科研究计划的能力。除了进行研究外，这位研究员还将通过加州科学院(CAS)夏季系统学研究所指导本科生，并通过CAS的博物馆项目培养向公众教授科学知识的技能。该项目还将为湾区的少数族裔本科生和巴布亚新几内亚当地人提供学习进行研究的绝佳机会，使这位研究员能够继续朝着她的目标努力，即扩大少数族裔和妇女对科学的参与。