NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2009

该行动资助了2009财年的NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，并根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）提供资金。该奖学金支持研究员在宿主实验室的研究和培训计划。本奖学金的研究和培训计划的标题是Erin M。迈尔斯是“果蝇翅膀形状的比较遗传学。“这项研究是在休斯顿大学进行的，由威廉A。弗兰克诺大多数生态学或医学上重要特征的表达和进化背后的遗传学基本上是未知的。本研究采用了多种方法在一个模型系统中，以确定遗传结构的种间翅形状的几个物种对内的果蝇属，以及这种结构的保护程度。为了阐明这一遗传框架，该研究整合了几何形态测量学、数量遗传学和比较基因组学，以确定导致翅形种间变异的遗传区域的数量以及这些效应的类型（例如，主要效应与次要效应、加性效应与非加性效应）和幅度。在这样做的时候，该项目需要开发新的软件，以协助数据采集，并纳入新的基因分型和分析技术。该研究解决了进化生物学中的重要问题，并为未来在非模型系统中的研究提供了研究模板。作为奖学金的一部分，培训目标包括遗传图谱和使用模型系统。更广泛的影响包括广泛传播到生物界，包括方法和软件的进步，以协助收集形态数据以及指导本科生。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2009 and is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Erin M. Myers is "Comparative genetics of wing shape across Drosophila." This research is being conducted at the University of Houston under the sponsorship of Dr. William A. Frankino. The genetics underlying the expression and evolution of most ecologically or medically important traits is largely unknown. This research uses a variety of approaches in a model system to determine the genetic architecture of interspecific wing shape for several species pairs within the genus Drosophila, as well as the degree of conservation of this architecture. To elucidate this genetic framework, the research integrates geometric morphometrics, quantitative genetics, and comparative genomics to identify the number of genetic regions contributing to interspecific variation in wing shape and the type (e.g. major vs. minor effect, additive vs. non-additive) and magnitude of these effects. In so doing, the project necessitates the development of new software to assist in data acquisition and incorporates novel genotyping and analytical techniques. The research addresses significant questions in evolutionary biology and provides a research template for future studies in non-model systems.As part of the fellowship, training goals include genetic mapping and using model systems. Broader impacts include broad dissemination to the biological community, including advancements in methodology and software to assist in the collection of morphological data as well as mentoring undergraduate students.