NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2020: Vibrio Cholerae: An old disease with new tricks

这一行动资助了2020财年NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，扩大了生物学领域代表性不足群体的参与。该奖学金支持一项针对该研究员的研究和培训计划，该计划将增加生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。这项研究的目的是了解野生鸟类在传播霍乱弧菌中所起的作用，霍乱弧菌是导致霍乱的细菌物种。霍乱弧菌是人类最重要的病原体之一，然而，关于霍乱弧菌如何与其宿主外的环境相互作用，特别是它如何以及何时感染其他物种，人们知之甚少。传统上，对霍乱弧菌的研究主要集中在它如何在人类身上致病，然而，越来越多的证据表明，霍乱弧菌能够感染水禽，水禽物种可能能够传播细菌。这项研究将研究水禽是否是霍乱弧菌的“合格”宿主，例如霍乱弧菌是否只是被水禽吃掉而感染是暂时的，或者霍乱弧菌现在是否正在成为禽类肠道细菌群落的自然组成部分。此外，这项研究将检查细菌物种，如霍乱弧菌，在适应或重新适应新宿主时使用的进化策略。除了这项研究，该研究员还将在耶鲁大学和中佛罗里达大学进行研究时，通过实践指导、职业发展和教育支持，促进更多地纳入多样化和代表性不足的群体。霍乱弧菌仍然是人类历史上最突出的病原体之一。最近的发现表明，鸟类在病原体的传播中发挥着越来越大的作用。然而，无论这是否代表了病原体迁移的未知途径，还是细菌重新出现在宿主-病原体系统中，例如。水禽，尚未确定。这位研究员将研究这种机会主义微生物和人为过程之间的相互作用如何影响病原体在自然鸟类系统中的重新出现。具体地说，这项研究将集中在佛罗里达州东部与人类活动相关的水生栖息地中自然暴露于霍乱弧菌的自由放养的周围绿头鸭。考虑到禽类分离物的发病率上升，变暖的墨西哥湾海岸，以及人类宿主的稀缺，预计霍乱弧菌现在正交替地在美国东南部的水禽上定居。通过这项研究，该研究员还寻求在耶鲁大学和UCF继续推广模式，通过获得额外的人员资助，为这两所大学代表不足的群体提供研究机会。这位研究员还将增加对社区大学学生的接触，他们将最少的机会将研究融入到他们的研究中。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2020, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The objective of this study is to understand the role that wild birds play in transmitting Vibrio cholerae, the bacterial species that causes cholera. Vibrio cholerae is one of the most important human pathogens, however little is known concerning how V. cholerae interacts with its environment outside of the human host, specifically how, and when, it infects other species. Traditionally, studies on V. cholerae have focused on how it causes disease in humans, however there is growing evidence that V. cholerae are able to infect waterfowl, and that waterfowl species may be capable of transmitting the bacteria. This study will examine whether waterfowl are ‘competent’ hosts for V. cholerae, e.g. whether V. cholerae is simply consumed by waterfowl and the infection is transient, or whether V. cholerae is now becoming a natural part of the intestinal bacterial community in avian species. In addition, this study will examine the evolutionary strategies that bacterial species, such as V. cholerae, use in adapting or re-adapting to new hosts. In addition to this research, the fellow will promote the greater inclusion of diverse and under-represented groups through the hands-on mentorship, career development, and educational support while performing research at Yale University and at the University of Central Florida. Vibrio cholerae remains one of the most prominent pathogens in human history. Recent findings suggest birds are playing an increasing role in the dissemination of the pathogen. However, whether this represents an unexplored pathway of pathogen mobility, or bacterial re-emergence into a host-pathogen system, .e.g. waterfowl, is yet to be determined. The fellow will investigate how interactions between this opportunistic microbe and anthropogenic processes influence pathogen re-emergence within a natural avian system. Specifically, this study will focus on free-ranging, peridomestic Mallards naturally exposed to V. cholerae among anthropogenically associated aquatic habitats of eastern Florida. Given the rising incidence of isolates from birds, the warming Gulf coast, and the paucity of human hosts, it is expected that V. cholerae are now alternatively colonizing southeastern U.S. waterfowl. Through this research, the fellow also seeks to continue a model of outreach both at Yale and at UCF, through additional personnel funding acquired to provide research opportunities for under-represented groups at both universities. The fellow will also increase outreach to community college students, who have the fewest opportunities to integrate research into their studies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.