NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2018

这一行动为2018财年NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金提供资金，扩大了生物学领域代表性不足群体的参与。该奖学金支持一项针对该研究员的研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。这位研究员将研究形成雄性和雌性差异的遗传机制和进化力量，这是生物多样性起源和维持的基础。这位研究员将利用决定壁虎性别的染色体的自然变异来测试经典的进化论。决定男性和女性的染色体是触发男性或女性发育的特殊染色体，存在于两个主要系统中。在像人类一样的XX/XY系统中，XY个体是男性，但在ZZ/ZW系统中，ZW个体是女性。这种遗传上的根本差异引发了关于形成XY和ZW系统的不同遗传机制和进化压力的重大理论预测。这位研究员将使用壁虎，这种壁虎已经多次进化出XY和ZW系统，使用一种新颖和最先进的比较方法来检验未经测试的经典预测。该研究员将扩大学生对探索基因组生物学和计算科学的生物信息学活动的参与，并将为寻求国际研究经验的未被充分代表的学生开发网络机会。XY/XX和ZW/ZZ染色体是由于一对常染色体之间的重组受到抑制而产生的，这对常染色体随后在序列和表达上彼此分化。理论预测了XY和ZW染色体进化中的关键差异，以及它们在适应、二态和物种形成中所起的作用。在壁虎中，XY和ZW系统已经独立进化了17倍以上。该研究员将利用多个独立进化的壁虎XY和ZW系统对XX/XY和ZZ/ZW染色体进化进行比较分析。这位研究员将测试染色体倒置在这些染色体之间的重组抑制中的作用，以及XY和ZW系统之间终止重组的不同之处。接下来，这位研究员将研究重组、选择和漂移如何在这些染色体中形成分化。最后，该研究员将研究XX/XY和ZZ/ZW偏向基因表达的进化，以及这一过程在XY和ZW系统中的不同。总而言之，这些研究建立了XX/XY和ZZ/ZW染色体进化以及作用于整个基因组的基本作用力的综合机械论观点。这位研究员将发展研究、指导和交流方面的尖端技能，并将吸引不同的受众参与基因组进化和全球研究机会。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2018, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The Fellow will investigate the genetic mechanisms and evolutionary forces shaping the differences between males and females, which are fundamental to the origins and maintenance of biological diversity. The Fellow will leverage the natural variation in the chromosomes that determine male vs. female in geckos to test classic evolutionary theory. The chromosomes that determine male vs. female are specialized chromosomes that trigger male or female development, and occur in two major systems. In XX/XY systems like humans, XY individuals are male, but in ZZ/ZW systems, ZW individuals are female. This fundamental difference in inheritance has sparked major theoretical predictions about the contrasting genetic mechanisms and evolutionary pressures shaping XY versus ZW systems. The Fellow will use geckos, which have evolved XY and ZW systems multiple times, to examine untested classical predictions using a novel and state-of-the-art comparative approach. The Fellow will broaden student participation in bioinformatics activities that explore genome biology and computational science, and will develop networking opportunities for underrepresented students seeking international research experience.XY/XX and ZW/ZZ chromosomes arise as recombination is suppressed between a pair of autosomes, which subsequently diverge from one another in sequence and expression. Theory predicts key differences in the evolution of XY and ZW chromosomes and the roles they play in adaptation, dimorphism and speciation. In geckos, XY and ZW systems have evolved independently upwards of 17 times. The Fellow will conduct a comparative analysis of XX/XY and ZZ/ZW chromosome evolution using multiple independently evolved gecko XY and ZW systems. The Fellow will test the role of chromosomal inversions in recombination suppression between these chromosomes, and how cessation of recombination differs between XY and ZW systems. Next, the Fellow will investigate how recombination, selection, and drift shape divergence in these chromosomes. Finally, the Fellow will study the evolution of XX/XY and ZZ/ZW biased gene expression and how this process differs between XY and ZW systems. Together, these studies build an integrated mechanistic view of XX/XY and ZZ/ZW chromosome evolution and the fundamental forces acting across the entire genome. The Fellow will develop cutting-edge skills in research, mentoring, and communication, and will engage diverse audiences in genome evolution and global research opportunities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.