NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Using a protoendothermic mammal to understand how body temperature influences nutrient absorption.

这项行动资助了2021财年的NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，扩大了生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。该研究金支持研究员的一项研究和培训计划，该计划将增加在生物学领域代表性不足的群体的参与。产生独立于环境温度的高内部体温的能力在脊椎动物中独立地进化了两次，在哺乳动物和鸟类中。然而，维持高体温的成本（就能量而言）很高。该项目的重点是了解为什么现代哺乳动物的体温会升高。为了回答这个问题，PI将使用tenrec作为模型系统。马岛猕猴是来自马达加斯加的哺乳动物，其体温比任何其他已知的哺乳动物都更易变，并且是了解体温更高的优势的绝佳模型。更具体地说，该项目将重点关注体温如何影响消化，这与能量产生有关。为了扩大参与，该研究员将在内华达州拉斯维加斯大学举办两个独立的外展活动，旨在增加生命科学系内少数族裔的参与。例如，当保持在12°C时，活跃的tenrecs的体温可以在~13 °C至32°C的范围内，但是在12°C下活跃的tenrecs的静息代谢可以变化25倍，并且仅部分取决于体温。该研究员将利用一个独特的哺乳动物系统，以了解体温如何影响食物中的营养素提取。该模型将直接检验体温升高可以从食物中提取更多营养素的假设。为了测试这种营养素提取模型的内温性（体温升高）的演变，将使用综合方法。利用整个动物，离体和体外3D细胞培养方法来开发多水平方法，利用整个动物，器官甚至细胞水平的研究。在STEM领域的所有博士后中，只有不到2%是黑人/非裔美国人，这是整个人口的6倍以上。生物科学领域的多样性不会增加，除非代表性不足的个人得到提升，成为这一领域机会的一个例子。为了扩大参与，该研究员将在内华达州拉斯维加斯大学建立外展活动，利用那里的LSAMP计划。该奖项反映了NSF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 2021, 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 ability to generate a high internal body temperature independent of environmental temperature, has independently evolved twice in vertebrate animals, in mammals and in birds. However, there is a high cost (in terms of energy) to maintaining a high body temperature. This project focuses on understanding why there is increased body temperatures in modern mammals. To answer this question, the PI will use the tenrec as a model system. Tenrecs are mammals from Madagascar with a body temperature more variable than any other known mammal, and are an excellent model for understanding the advantages of having a warmer body temperature. More specifically this project will focus on how body temperature influences digestion, which is connected to energy generation. To broaden participation, the fellow will set up two independent outreach events at the University of Nevada Las Vegas aimed at increasing minority engagement within the Department of Life Sciences.Tenrecs have the remarkable ability to partially disconnect body temperature and metabolism. For instance, when maintained at 12°C, the body temperature of active tenrecs can range from ~13 to 32°C but resting metabolism of active tenrecs at 12°C may vary by 25-fold and is only partially dependent on body temperature. The fellow will exploit a unique mammalian system in order to understand how body temperature influences the nutrient extraction from food. This model will directly test the hypothesis that warmer body temperatures allow for greater nutrient extraction from foods. To test this nutrient extraction model for the evolution of endothermy (increased body temperature), an integrative approach will be used. Utilizing whole animal, ex vivo, and in vitro 3D cell culture approaches to develop a multi-level approach the exploits whole animal, organ, and even cellular level investigation. Fewer than 2% of all post-docs in STEM fields are Black/African American, which is an over 6-fold underrepresentation of the population as a whole. Diversity within biological sciences will not increase unless underrepresented individuals are elevated thus, becoming an example of opportunities within this field. To broaden participation, the fellow will establish outreach events at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, leveraging the LSAMP program there.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.