NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2019: Rough skin: microstructural and fluid dynamic studies of elasmobranch skin to understand how denticle morphology affects locomotion

2019 财年 NSF 生物学博士后奖学金：粗糙皮肤：软骨鱼类皮肤的微观结构和流体动力学研究，以了解小齿形态如何影响运动

• 批准号: 1907211
• 负责人: Molly Gabler-Smith
• 金额: $ 13.8万
• 依托单位: Gabler Molly K
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-09-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1907211&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; Postdoctoral; Fellowship; Biology; FY

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2019, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will utilize biological collections in innovative ways. This research focuses on the morphology of fish skin, specifically, the microscopic scales called denticles on sharks and rays. Denticles have many proposed functions, including protection from predators, abrasion reduction, and alteration of water flow over the body. Shape characteristics of denticles are known to differ among species as well as along different positions of the body within an individual. Denticle shape is thought to alter water flow along the body of fish, by decreasing hydrodynamic drag. The functional significance of these scales is of particular interest because sharks and rays use many different ways of swimming, and there are many different denticle sizes and shapes. By comparing skin form with function, the fellow will answer questions about fish biology, including evolution, locomotion, and habitat. The Fellow will gain understanding of fish functional morphology by learning new techniques, including robotic testing of 3D printed skin. The results will also be important for learning about underwater locomotion for human use. The Fellow will work closely with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy to develop a hands-on teaching seminar for young girls interested in shark research. The fellow will use elasmobranch specimens from the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology to conduct a large-scale comparative analysis of denticle shape. The Fellow will be trained in multiple three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques to examine denticle morphology of species that employ various locomotor modes (i.e. axial-undulatory and pectoral-fin propulsors). The Fellow will use gel-based profilometry, which determines surface metrology variables (i.e. denticle roughness) together with micro-computed tomography, to create 3D models of individual denticles along various parts of an animal's body. These models will be used in a high-resolution 3D printer to produce a flexible material for quantitative hydrodynamic testing to investigate the fine-scale fluid dynamics produced by the skin denticles. Understanding how the morphology of the denticles contributes to hydrodynamic function and the ecology of elasmobranchs is important for understanding the structural and functional evolution of elasmobranchs and to design more efficient biomimetic materials for underwater locomotion for human use.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.

这项行动资助了2019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，以创新的方式利用生物收藏。这项研究的重点是鱼类皮肤的形态，特别是鲨鱼和鳐鱼上被称为dennis的微观尺度。齿有许多功能，包括保护免受掠食者，减少磨损，改变身体的水流。众所周知，不同物种之间以及个体体内身体的沿着不同位置，牙齿的形状特征也不同。牙齿形状被认为是改变水流沿着身体的鱼，减少水动力阻力。这些鳞片的功能意义是特别感兴趣的，因为鲨鱼和鳐使用许多不同的游泳方式，并且有许多不同的小齿大小和形状。通过比较皮肤的形状和功能，研究员将回答有关鱼类生物学的问题，包括进化，运动和栖息地。该研究员将通过学习新技术来了解鱼类的功能形态，包括3D打印皮肤的机器人测试。研究结果对于人类了解水下运动也很重要。该研究员将与大西洋白色鲨鱼保护协会密切合作，为对鲨鱼研究感兴趣的年轻女孩举办一个实践教学研讨会。 该研究员将使用来自哈佛比较动物学博物馆的板鳃类标本进行大规模的牙齿形状比较分析。该研究员将接受多种三维成像技术的培训，以检查采用各种运动模式（即轴向波动和胸鳍推进器）的物种的齿状结构形态。该研究员将使用凝胶轮廓测量法，确定表面计量变量（即齿状粗糙度）与微型计算机断层扫描，以创建沿动物身体各部分沿着的单个齿状突起的3D模型。这些模型将用于高分辨率3D打印机，以生产用于定量流体动力学测试的柔性材料，以研究皮肤脱髓鞘产生的精细尺度流体动力学。了解的形态学的denerals有助于流体动力学功能和生态的板鳃类是重要的理解的结构和功能的演变，板鳃类和设计更有效的仿生材料的水下运动为人类use.This奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得支持的评估使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。