NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2015

这项行动资助了2015财年NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，使用生物收集的研究。该研究金支持研究员的研究和培训计划，以采取变革性方法应对生物学的重大挑战，以高度创新的方式利用生物学收藏。 本奖学金的研究计划的标题是由斯蒂芬·E. Greiman是“北极动态接触区中鼩 鼱寄生虫和微生物生物多样性的探索”。“该奖学金的主办机构是新墨西哥州大学，赞助科学家是约瑟夫·A.西南生物博物馆是一个首屈一指的研究收藏与整个固定的小型哺乳动物的集合。 这些标本保存了胃肠道，包括寄生虫，允许研究不同地点和时间段的宿主和病原体。 使用下一代测序（NGS）技术，该研究金使用宏基因组学来研究大型寄生虫（寄生蠕虫或蠕虫）和微生物（细菌和病毒）复杂组合的群落结构和多样性，这些物种在阿拉斯加北方相互接触的两个小脊椎动物宿主（鼩属物种）。杂交是常见的，发生在两个曾经被隔离的相关物种接触时，通常是由于环境的变化，并成功繁殖。 它们的后代是杂交种，通常可以存活下来，并通过对后代的选择，越来越适应新的环境。已知寄生虫会降低其宿主生物体的适应性，并且杂交种和亲本种之间的寄生水平和寄生虫群落结构的差异可能会在宿主的潜在分歧谱系随着时间的推移最终持续存在或成功中发挥作用。 目前正在开发新的宏基因组方法，用于从收藏品中保存标本;由于这些样本是不可替代的，可持续利用需要特殊技术。 培训目标包括发展生物信息学、NGS技术、博物馆策展和藏品管理方面的专业知识。 对本科生的教育推广包括发展，作为目标的一部分！程序，一个在线模块的进化和寄生虫学课程的基础上，寄生虫在混合区的动态。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2015, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow to take transformative approaches to grand challenges in biology that employ biological collections in highly innovative ways. The title of the research plan for this fellowship to Dr. Stephen E. Greiman is "Explorations of parasite and microbe biodiversity in shrews across a dynamic contact zone in the arctic." The host institution for this fellowship is the University of New Mexico, and the sponsoring scientists are Dr. Joseph A. Cook and Dr. Eric P. Hoberg.The Museum of Southwestern Biology is a premier research collection with its collection of whole fixed small mammals. These specimens have preserved gastrointestinal tracts, including parasites, permitting study of host and pathogens in different locations and time periods. Using next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, the fellowship research uses metagenomics to examine community structure and diversity of a complex assemblage of macroparasites (parasitic worms or helminths) and microbes (bacteria and viruses) within two small vertebrate hosts (shrew species) across an extensive zone where these species contact each in northern Alaska. Hybridization is common and occurs when two related species that were once isolated come into contact, often due to changing environments, and successfully reproduce. The offspring are hybrids and often can persist and, through selection over succeeding generations, become increasingly adapted in the novel environment. Parasites are known to reduce the fitness of their host organisms, and differences in the levels of parasitism and parasite community structure between the hybrid and parent species could play a role in the eventual persistence or success over time for potentially divergent lineages of the hosts. New metagenomic methods are being developed for use in preserved specimens from collections; as these samples are irreplaceable, sustainable use requires special techniques. Training goals include developing expertise in bioinformatics, NGS technologies, museum curation and collection management. Educational outreach to undergraduates includes developing, as part of the Aim-UP! program, an on-line module for evolution and parasitology courses based on the dynamics of parasites in hybrid zones.