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。 本奖学金的研究计划的标题是Delbert A.绿色II是“帝王蝶迁徙的分子遗传基础。“该研究金的主办机构是芝加哥大学，赞助科学家是Marcus Kronforst博士（小学）和Steven Reppert博士（马萨诸塞州大学医学院）。迁移是一种行为适应，在从细菌到人类的不同类群中进化，是在异质环境中生存的成功而复杂的策略。目前的知识表明，没有一个单一的解释迁移是如何工作的，阐明机制需要整合行为，生理学和形态学的研究。虽然许多物种特有的迁移适应已经被描述，没有出现一个单一的机制，有一些动物迁移的特点，几乎是普遍的。这些特征的进化保守性表明，一种共同的机制可能是动物迁徙的基础。帝王蝶是美国珍贵的迁徙动物之一，为研究动物迁徙机制提供了一个很好的模型。 本研究旨在通过结合行为、发育、遗传/基因组和生物化学研究来揭示帝王蝶迁徙的分子遗传基础。该奖学金还为研究员提供了科学培训的机会，重点是研究君主生物学各个方面的实验技术，包括发育，行为，解剖学和生理学以及下一代测序数据生成和分析。用于帝王蝶功能遗传学研究的新工具正在开发中。结合现有的帝王蝶自然历史和生态学知识，这项研究有望为理解复杂的性状进化提供一个全面的模型。探索迁移的环境和遗传决定因素有望为帝王蝶保护策略提供重要的新见解。 该项目的一个主要目标是通过教育推广，通过培训和指导本科生作为榜样，扩大代表性不足的群体对生物学的参与。此外，正在开发一项新的试点计划，让高中和中学生参与君主生物学的研究，以提供STEM科目的技术准备，并促进以社区为中心的科学参与。该试点计划补充了正在进行的努力，以加强现有的君主保护计划，特别是了解君主，但也为代表性不足的群体在STEM领域产生热情和成功。

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 Delbert A. Green II is "Molecular genetic basis of migration in the Monarch butterfly." The host institution for this fellowship is the University of Chicago, and the sponsoring scientists are Dr. Marcus Kronforst (primary) and Dr. Steven Reppert (The University of Massachusetts Medical School). Migration is a behavioral adaptation that has evolved in diverse taxa, from bacteria to humans, and is a successful and complex strategy for surviving in heterogeneous environments. Current knowledge suggests that there is no single explanataion of how migration works and elucidating the mechanisms requires integrating studies of behavior, physiology, and morphology. Although many species-specific migration adaptations have been described without the emergence of a single mechanism, there are some features of animal migrations that are nearly universal. The evolutionary conservation of these traits suggests that a common mechanism may underlie animal migrations. The monarch butterfly, one of America's treasured migrators, presents an excellent model for researching the mechanism of animal migration. This research seeks to uncover the molecular genetic basis of monarch migration using a combination of behavioral, developmental, genetic/genomic, and biochemical studies. The fellowship also affords the opportunity for scientific training for the Fellow with a focus on experimental techniques to study various aspects of monarch biology, including development, behavior, anatomy, and physiology as well as next-generation sequencing data generation and analysis. New tools for conducting functional genetics studies in monarchs are being developed. Coupled with existing knowledge of monarch natural history and ecology, the research promises to produce a comprehensive model for understanding complex trait evolution. Exploring environmental and genetic determinants of migration promises critical new insights relevant to monarch conservation strategies. A major goal of this project is to broaden participation of under-represented groups in biology through educational outreach by training and mentoring undergraduate students as a role model. Additionally, a novel pilot program to engage high school and middle school students in studies of monarch biology is being developed to provide technical preparation in STEM subjects and promote community-centered science engagement. The pilot program complements ongoing efforts to enhance existing programs for monarch conservation and learning about monarchs in particular but also to generate enthusiasm for and success in STEM fields for under-represented groups.