CAREER: Physiological Trade-offs in Ecoimmunology: Costs for Individuals and Populations

免疫系统对包括人类在内的所有有机体的健康和生存都很重要。这项拟议的研究试图回答这样一个问题，“免疫的代价是什么？”这是生态免疫学领域的一个中心问题。一个简单化的假设通常是，更大或更持久的免疫反应是有利的。然而，更强大的免疫反应的成本可能会对其他能源密集型过程产生负面影响，如繁殖。目前，许多免疫学研究都集中在免疫系统中特定的、分离的细胞成分上。尽管这一水平的理解很重要，但理解整体免疫反应如何影响个人的状况，包括其他重要的生理系统，也是至关重要的。此外，目前还不清楚免疫等个别措施如何影响人口随时间的变化。了解个人和人口之间的联系将使我们能够更有效地监测自然人口的健康和生存能力，其中许多人容易受到不断变化的地形和气候的影响。为了解决这些知识差距，拟议的工作将测试(1)免疫的能量成本；(2)免疫系统对其他关键生理过程的影响，特别是生殖；以及(3)个人免疫与自然群体之间的联系。最后，在研究计划中嵌入了一项针对未来教育工作者的研究型培训倡议，该倡议将把这些教育工作者纳入拟议的科学研究。通过为未来的教育工作者提供从事科学研究的机会。这项研究将增进教育者和他们的学生对科学过程的教育经验和理解。这一教育计划的影响将是广泛的，即使在它的初始阶段，因为有内在的乘数效应。总之，拟议的研究和教育计划有能力改变免疫学研究的基本原理，并为未来的教师和他们的学生提高科学教育课程。

The immune system is important for health and survival in all organisms, including humans. The proposed research seeks to answer the question, "What are the costs of immunity?" This is a central question in the field of ecological immunology. A simplifying assumption is often made that a greater or longer-lasting immune response is advantageous. However, the costs of a more robust immune response may negatively affect other energy intensive processes such as reproduction. Currently, much of immunology research focuses on specific, isolated cellular components of the immune system. Although this level of understanding is important, it is also critical to comprehend how an overall immune response can affect the condition of an individual, including other vital physiological systems. Furthermore, it is presently unclear how individual measures, such as immunity, affect population changes over time. Understanding the link between individuals and populations will allow us to monitor more effectively the health and viability of natural populations, many of which are susceptible to an ever-changing landscape and climate. To address these knowledge gaps the proposed work will test (1) the energetic costs of immunity; (2) the effects of the immune system on other key physiological processes, notably reproduction; and (3) the links between individual immunity and natural populations. Finally, embedded within the research program is a research-based training initiative for future educators, which will incorporate those educators into the proposed scientific research. By providing opportunities for future educators to ?do science,? this research will enhance the educational experiences and understanding of the scientific process for educators and for their students. The impacts of this educational program even in its initial stages will be broad, because there is an inherent multiplier effect. In sum, the proposed research and educational program has the capability to transform the principles underlying immunological research and to enhance the science education curriculum both for future instructors and for their students.