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

该行动为2020财年美国国家科学基金会生物学博士后研究奖学金提供资金，扩大生物学中代表性不足群体的参与。该奖学金支持研究员的一项研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。这项研究的目的是了解野生鸟类在传播霍乱弧菌中所起的作用，霍乱弧菌是引起霍乱的细菌种类。霍乱弧菌是最重要的人类病原体之一，然而，关于霍乱弧菌如何与人类宿主外的环境相互作用，特别是如何以及何时感染其他物种，人们知之甚少。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上，然而，越来越多的证据表明，霍乱弧菌能够感染水禽，水禽物种可能能够传播这种细菌。这项研究将检验水禽是否是霍乱弧菌的“称职”宿主，例如，霍乱弧菌是否仅仅被水禽摄入而感染是短暂的，或者霍乱弧菌是否正在成为鸟类肠道细菌群落的一个自然组成部分。此外，这项研究将研究细菌物种，如霍乱弧菌，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，促进更大程度上包容不同和代表性不足的群体。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，鸟类在这种病原体的传播中扮演着越来越重要的角色。然而，这是否代表了一种未被探索的病原体移动途径，或者细菌重新出现在宿主-病原体系统中。水禽，还有待确定。该研究员将研究这种机会性微生物和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，本研究将集中在佛罗里达东部人为相关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。考虑到从鸟类中分离出的霍乱弧菌的发病率上升，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交替地在美国东南部的水禽中定居。通过这项研究，该研究员还寻求通过获得额外的人员资助，为耶鲁大学和UCF的弱势群体提供研究机会，继续在耶鲁大学和UCF开展推广模式。该研究员还将扩大与社区大学生的联系，这些学生将研究融入学习的机会最少。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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 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.