NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology for FY 2011

该行动为2011财年NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金提供资金，扩大参与。该研究金支持研究员在东道实验室的研究和培训计划，研究员还提出了扩大生物学参与的计划。 Melissa Pespeni研究和培训计划的标题是“揭示角蜣螂形态多样性的遗传基础”。“这项研究的主办机构是印第安纳州大学，赞助科学家是阿明·莫切克博士。角蜣螂属是世界上最特殊的属，约有2000种。 这些甲虫起源于非洲，随着哺乳动物的多样化而多样化，以特定哺乳动物物种的粪便为食。 最有趣的是，物种在角形态上存在根本性的差异，改变了从头部和胸部发育的角的大小，形状和数量。 已知在缺乏这些新角结构的其他昆虫的发育中重要的几个基因已被确定为对蜣螂中不同角形态的发育至关重要。最近开发的基因组和基因表达信息Onthophagus甲虫发育生物学的一个有用的模型，一般和一个有价值的生物系统，本研究的遗传基础的形态多样性和基因表达在不同的发展阶段，在形态上不同但密切相关的物种。科学影响包括确定进化变化的遗传基础，使或限制适应性进化和不断变化的星球上的进化反应。培训目标包括学习发育遗传技术，并在比较，进化和发展框架中应用全基因组研究。 该奖学金的更广泛的影响包括协助保护工作，并在K-12教室，与本科生，在会议上，以及在流行和科学出版物中分享时，激发对生物学的兴趣。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2011, Broadening Participation. The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow who also presents a plan to broaden participation in biology. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Melissa Pespeni is "Revealing the genetic underpinnings of morphological diversity in horned dung beetles." The host institution for this research is Indiana University and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Armin Moczek.Horned dung beetles in the genus Onthophagus are the most speciose genus in the world, with some 2000 species described. These beetles originated in Africa and diversified with the diversification of mammals by feeding on the dung of specific mammal species. Most interestingly, species differ with radical variations in horn morphology, changing the size, shape and number of horns developing from their heads and thorax. Several genes that are known to be important in the development of other insects that lack these novel horn structures have been identified as critical for the development of diverse horn morphologies in dung beetles. Recently developed genomic and gene expression information make Onthophagus beetles a useful model for developmental biology in general and a valuable biological system for this study of the genetic underpinnings of morphological diversity and gene expression at various stages of development and in morphologically distinct yet closely related species. The scientific impacts include determining the genetic basis of evolutionary change that enables or constrains adaptive evolution and evolutionary responses on a changing planet.Training objectives include learning developmental genetic techniques and applying genome-wide studies in a comparative, evolutionary, and developmental framework. Broader impacts of this fellowship include assisting conservation efforts and inspiring interest in biology when shared in K-12 classrooms, with undergraduates, at conferences, and in popular and scientific publications.