BRC-BIO: GalapaGenomes: Building and Diversifying Undergraduate Research Capacity using Natural History Collections

自然历史收藏在培养教育和魅力方面在社会上发挥着重要作用。它们通过提供从生物标本获得的关键遗传信息，对生物研究和应用保护基因组学产生具体影响。例如，它们可以告知物种在不断变化的世界中发生了怎样的变化。此外，收集可以帮助确定何时以及哪些因素影响了这种变化，最后，它们可以提供数据，帮助规划如何采取行动减轻未来生物多样性的丧失。不幸的是，博物馆收藏品通常被视为只在学校参观时使用的很少使用的文物的橱柜。缺乏接触和接触标本的限制可能是导致这种负面观点的原因。改变这一观点的一个开始是在学术机构。因此，通过创建令人兴奋的研究项目，如结合生物标本和基因组学，让学生接触到积极的自然历史收藏体验，是这个项目的一个目标。这项研究将以标志性的加拉帕戈斯群岛为背景，将学生与基于收集、实地和实验室的研究联系起来，生成数据来回答保护基因组学中的基本问题。近几十年来，这些岛屿上的几个物种经历了种群数量的急剧下降，一些物种已经局部灭绝，幸存种群的遗传后果尚不清楚。这些物种中有许多是其岛屿特有的，这突显了准确的遗传估计为未来的保护规划提供信息的紧迫性。出于这些原因，研究人员创建了GalapaGenome，这是一个生成标本衍生基因组数据的平台。至关重要的是，这项工作还将为属于历史上代表性不足的群体的下一代科学家提供实验室、博物馆和教室中的身临其境的研究体验。关于岛屿物种保护基因组学的两个悬而未决的问题需要解决。首先，在有据可查的生态转型背景下遭受衰退的自然种群在基因组规模上的变化是什么？第二，这些变化可能会如何影响这些人口的生存？GalapaGenome将首先让学生沉浸在新设计的基于课程的本科生研究体验(CURE)中。一个目标是通过早期的研究经验，使用自然历史收藏品来提高URM学生的记忆力。其次，它将利用加州科学院无与伦比的加拉帕戈斯收藏(7000份标本)的研究人员的从属关系来生成三种鸟类的新基因组。这些基因组将被用来深入了解保护遗传措施。最终，这项研究将使学生对科学的参与多样化和扩大，并对他们的兴趣和对STEM劳动力的侵入产生积极的影响。该计划将扩大研究人员现有的加拉帕戈斯项目，并加强他在旧金山州立大学的研究和教学能力。SFSU是一所小学本科生、西班牙裔和少数族裔服务机构。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。

Natural History Collections play an important role in society in fostering education and fascination. They have a specific impact on biological research and applied conservation genomics by providing key genetic information obtained from biological specimens. For example, they can inform how species have changed in a changing world. Further, collections can help identify when and what factors have influenced such changes, Finally, they can provide data to aid in planning how to take action to mitigate future loss of biodiversity. Unfortunately, museum collections are often seen as cabinets of little-used artifacts useful only for school visits. It’s possible that lack of exposure and restricted access to specimens contribute to this negative viewpoint. One place to start changing this perspective is in academic institutions. Therefore, exposing students to positive Natural History Collections experiences by creating exciting research programs, such as combining biological specimens and genomics, is a goal of this project. This research will connect students with collections-, field- and lab-based research in generating data to answer fundamental questions in conservation genomics using the iconic Galapagos Islands as a backdrop. Several species on these islands have experienced dramatic population declines in recent decades, some have gone locally extinct, and the genetic consequences in surviving populations are not understood. Many of these species are endemic to their islands, highlighting the urgency for accurate genetic estimates to inform future conservation planning. For these reasons, the researcher has created GalapaGenomes, a platform to generate specimen-derived genomic data. Crucially, the work will also provide immersive research experiences in the lab, museum, and classrooms for the next generation of scientists belonging to historically underrepresented groups. Two outstanding questions regarding conservation genomics in island species require resolution. First, what are the changes at a genomic scale in natural populations that have suffered declines in the context of well-documented ecological transformation? Second, how might these changes affect the survival of these populations? GalapaGenomes will first immerse students in a newly designed course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). One goal is to use Natural History Collections to improve the retention of URM students through early research experiences. Second, it will take advantage of the researcher affiliation to the California Academy of Sciences’ unparalleled Galapagos collection (7,000 specimens) to generate new genomes of three bird species. The genomes will be used to gain insight into conservation genetic measures. Ultimately, this research will diversify and broaden student participation in science and positively impact their interest and incursion into the STEM workforce. This plan will expand the researcher’s existing Galapagos program and strengthen his research and teaching capacity at SFSU, a Primary Undergraduate, Hispanic and Minority Serving Institution.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.