NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2015

这项行动为2015财年的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，以及扩大在科学领域代表性不足的群体参与的计划。 给布拉德利迪克森的奖学金的研究计划的标题是？生物陀螺仪的机械和控制。“该奖学金的主办机构是加州理工学院，赞助科学家是迈克尔·迪金森博士。昆虫的空中敏捷性是显着的，特别是如果考虑到与其小尺寸相关的生物力学和生理挑战。在苍蝇中，这些动作由视觉系统启动，并由称为笼头的陀螺仪器官结束。笼头是小的，哑铃状的结构，位于前翅的后面，是从翅膀进化而来的。像翅膀一样，笼头是由一小块肌肉控制的拍打结构。然而，虽然笼头在飞行控制中的重要性早已为人所知，但这些微小的转向肌肉在飞行机动中的作用仍然不清楚。本研究的目的是发现苍蝇用来控制笼头运动的原理，从而控制它们的空中机动。它有望帮助开发能够在复杂的空中环境中航行的微型飞行器。 透过研究果蝇Drosophila melanogaster基因编码的钙感受器的表现，研究员正观察绳系飞行动作时的笼头操纵肌肉活动。新开发的计算技术正在被用来揭示肌肉激活模式是否反映了肌肉独立或依赖于上下文的群体。更全面地了解笼头？从这些实验中获得的昆虫的运动控制提供了关于昆虫如何使用有限的肌肉来执行优雅行为的见解，并扩展了我们对运动控制的一般原理的知识。此外，这项研究还探讨了神经系统如何修改硬连线反射以产生自愿行为。该研究员的导师，并作为非洲裔美国人和其他代表性不足的本科生的榜样。进一步的教育推广包括通过Caltech Classroom Connection向学校团体进行演讲，使用在线多媒体传播讨论当前科学主题的播客，以及针对青少年观众的非正式演讲的发展。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2015, Broadening Participation. The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow and a plan to broaden participation of groups under-represented in science. The title of the research plan for this fellowship to Bradley Dickerson is ?The mechanics and control of a biological gyroscope." The host institution for this fellowship is the California Institute of Technology, and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Michael Dickinson. The aerial agility of insects is remarkable, especially if considering the biomechanical and physiological challenges associated with their small size. In flies, these maneuvers are initiated by the visual system and ended by gyroscopic organs called halteres. The halteres are small, dumbbell-shaped structures located behind the forewings that are evolutionarily derived from the wings. Like the wings, the halteres are flapping structures contolled by a small set of muscles. However, while the importance of the halteres in flight control is long known, the role of these tiny steering muscles during flight maneuvers remains unclear. The research aims to discover the principles flies use to control motion of the haltere and in turn their aerial maneuvers. It promises to aid the development of micro air vehicles able to navigate complicated aerial environments. Through studying the expression of a genetically-encoded calcium sensor in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the Fellow is observing haltere steering muscle activity during tethered flight maneuvers. Newly developed computational techniques are being employed to reveal if muscle activation patterns reflect the muscles acting independently or in context-dependent groups. A more complete understanding of the haltere?s motor control from these experiments provides insight as to how insects can perform elegant behaviors using a limited set of muscles and expands our knowledge of the general principles of motor control. Moreover, the research addresses how hard-wired reflexes are modified by the nervous system to produce voluntary behaviors. The Fellow mentors and serves as a role model for African-American and other underrepresented undergraduate students. Further educational outreach includes presentations to school groups through the Caltech Classroom Connection, the use of online multimedia to disseminate a podcast discussing current topics in science, and the development of informal presentations targeted at teenage audiences.