NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2020: Vibrio Cholerae: An old disease with new tricks

2020 财年 NSF 生物学博士后奖学金：霍乱弧菌：一种具有新技巧的老疾病

• 批准号: 2010904
• 负责人: Andrea Ayala
• 金额: $ 13.8万
• 依托单位: Ayala, Andrea Josefina
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-10-01 至 2023-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2010904&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; Postdoctoral; Fellowship; Biology; FY

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2020, 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 objective of this study is to understand the role that wild birds play in transmitting Vibrio cholerae, the bacterial species that causes cholera. Vibrio cholerae is one of the most important human pathogens, however little is known concerning how V. cholerae interacts with its environment outside of the human host, specifically how, and when, it infects other species. Traditionally, studies on V. cholerae have focused on how it causes disease in humans, however there is growing evidence that V. cholerae are able to infect waterfowl, and that waterfowl species may be capable of transmitting the bacteria. This study will examine whether waterfowl are ‘competent’ hosts for V. cholerae, e.g. whether V. cholerae is simply consumed by waterfowl and the infection is transient, or whether V. cholerae is now becoming a natural part of the intestinal bacterial community in avian species. In addition, this study will examine the evolutionary strategies that bacterial species, such as V. cholerae, use in adapting or re-adapting to new hosts. In addition to this research, the fellow will promote the greater inclusion of diverse and under-represented groups through the hands-on mentorship, career development, and educational support while performing research at Yale University and at the University of Central Florida. Vibrio cholerae remains one of the most prominent pathogens in human history. Recent findings suggest birds are playing an increasing role in the dissemination of the pathogen. However, whether this represents an unexplored pathway of pathogen mobility, or bacterial re-emergence into a host-pathogen system, .e.g. waterfowl, is yet to be determined. The fellow will investigate how interactions between this opportunistic microbe and anthropogenic processes influence pathogen re-emergence within a natural avian system. Specifically, this study will focus on free-ranging, peridomestic Mallards naturally exposed to V. cholerae among anthropogenically associated aquatic habitats of eastern Florida. Given the rising incidence of isolates from birds, the warming Gulf coast, and the paucity of human hosts, it is expected that V. cholerae are now alternatively colonizing southeastern U.S. waterfowl. Through this research, the fellow also seeks to continue a model of outreach both at Yale and at UCF, through additional personnel funding acquired to provide research opportunities for under-represented groups at both universities. The fellow will also increase outreach to community college students, who have the fewest opportunities to integrate research into their studies.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.

该行动资助 2020 财年 NSF 生物学博士后研究奖学金，扩大生物学领域代表性不足群体的参与。该奖学金支持该研究员的研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学领域代表性不足的群体的参与。这项研究的目的是了解野生鸟类在传播霍乱弧菌（一种引起霍乱的细菌）中所起的作用。霍乱弧菌是最重要的人类病原体之一，然而，人们对霍乱弧菌如何与其人类宿主之外的环境相互作用，特别是如何以及何时感染其他物种知之甚少。传统上，对霍乱弧菌的研究主要集中在它如何引起人类疾病，但越来越多的证据表明霍乱弧菌能够感染水禽，并且水禽物种可能能够传播细菌。这项研究将检验水禽是否是霍乱弧菌的“合格”宿主，例如水禽。霍乱弧菌是否只是被水禽食用并且感染是短暂的，或者霍乱弧菌现在是否正在成为鸟类肠道细菌群落的自然组成部分。 此外，这项研究还将研究霍乱弧菌等细菌物种在适应或重新适应新宿主时使用的进化策略。除了这项研究之外，该研究员还将在耶鲁大学和中佛罗里达大学进行研究时，通过实践指导、职业发展和教育支持，促进多元化和代表性不足的群体的更大程度的包容。 霍乱弧菌仍然是人类历史上最重要的病原体之一。最近的研究结果表明鸟类在病原体传播中发挥着越来越重要的作用。然而，这是否代表了一种未经探索的病原体移动途径，或者细菌重新出现到宿主-病原体系统中，例如。水禽，尚未确定。该研究员将研究这种机会微生物与人为过程之间的相互作用如何影响自然鸟类系统中病原体的重新出现。 具体来说，这项研究将重点关注佛罗里达州东部与人为相关的水生栖息地中自然暴露于霍乱弧菌的自由放养的家养绿头鸭。 鉴于鸟类分离菌株的发病率上升、墨西哥湾沿岸变暖以及人类宿主的缺乏，预计霍乱弧菌现在正在美国东南部的水禽中定殖。通过这项研究，该研究员还寻求通过获得额外的人员资助，为两所大学中代表性不足的群体提供研究机会，从而继续在耶鲁大学和中佛罗里达大学建立外展模式。该研究员还将扩大对社区学院学生的接触，因为他们将研究融入学习的机会最少。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。