NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2015

本行动资助美国国家科学基金会2015年度生物学博士后研究奖学金，利用生物馆藏进行研究。该奖学金支持一项研究和培训计划，使研究员能够以高度创新的方式采用生物收集的变革性方法来应对生物学方面的重大挑战。斯蒂芬·e·格莱曼博士的研究计划的标题是“探索北极动态接触区鼩鼱体内的寄生虫和微生物生物多样性”。这项奖学金的主办机构是新墨西哥大学，赞助科学家是约瑟夫·a·库克博士和埃里克·p·霍伯格博士。西南生物博物馆是一个主要的研究收藏，收藏了完整的固定小型哺乳动物。这些标本保存了胃肠道，包括寄生虫，允许研究不同地点和不同时期的宿主和病原体。使用下一代测序（NGS）技术，该研究使用宏基因组学来检查两个小型脊椎动物宿主（鼩鼱物种）内复杂的大型寄生虫（寄生蠕虫或蠕虫）和微生物（细菌和病毒）的群落结构和多样性，这些宿主跨越了阿拉斯加北部这些物种相互接触的广阔区域。杂交是很常见的，当两个曾经被隔离的相关物种接触时，通常是由于环境的变化，并成功地繁殖。后代是杂交的，通常可以持续存在，并通过后代的选择，越来越适应新的环境。众所周知，寄生虫会降低宿主生物的适应性，杂交物种和亲本物种之间寄生水平和寄生虫群落结构的差异可能在宿主潜在的不同谱系最终持续或成功中发挥作用。正在开发新的宏基因组学方法，用于收集的保存标本；由于这些样品是不可替代的，可持续利用需要特殊的技术。培训目标包括发展生物信息学、NGS技术、博物馆管理和收藏管理方面的专业知识。对本科生的教育推广包括发展，作为aimup ！程序，一个基于杂交区寄生虫动态的进化和寄生虫学课程的在线模块。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2015, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow to take transformative approaches to grand challenges in biology that employ biological collections in highly innovative ways. The title of the research plan for this fellowship to Dr. Stephen E. Greiman is "Explorations of parasite and microbe biodiversity in shrews across a dynamic contact zone in the arctic." The host institution for this fellowship is the University of New Mexico, and the sponsoring scientists are Dr. Joseph A. Cook and Dr. Eric P. Hoberg.The Museum of Southwestern Biology is a premier research collection with its collection of whole fixed small mammals. These specimens have preserved gastrointestinal tracts, including parasites, permitting study of host and pathogens in different locations and time periods. Using next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, the fellowship research uses metagenomics to examine community structure and diversity of a complex assemblage of macroparasites (parasitic worms or helminths) and microbes (bacteria and viruses) within two small vertebrate hosts (shrew species) across an extensive zone where these species contact each in northern Alaska. Hybridization is common and occurs when two related species that were once isolated come into contact, often due to changing environments, and successfully reproduce. The offspring are hybrids and often can persist and, through selection over succeeding generations, become increasingly adapted in the novel environment. Parasites are known to reduce the fitness of their host organisms, and differences in the levels of parasitism and parasite community structure between the hybrid and parent species could play a role in the eventual persistence or success over time for potentially divergent lineages of the hosts. New metagenomic methods are being developed for use in preserved specimens from collections; as these samples are irreplaceable, sustainable use requires special techniques. Training goals include developing expertise in bioinformatics, NGS technologies, museum curation and collection management. Educational outreach to undergraduates includes developing, as part of the Aim-UP! program, an on-line module for evolution and parasitology courses based on the dynamics of parasites in hybrid zones.