NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2021: Neural basis of coordinated, multi-limbed movement in an emerging model tardigrade species

这项行动资助了2021财年的NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，扩大了生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。该研究金支持研究员的一项研究和培训计划，该计划将增加在生物学领域代表性不足的群体的参与。这项研究开发了一种新的微观动物系统工具，可以直接观察整个大脑和整个身体的神经系统-在复杂行为的表现过程中。特别是，先进的遗传和显微镜方法将使活体大脑和神经系统可视化，而动物正在行走并对环境刺激的变化做出反应。这将有助于更好地理解各种复杂的行为和疾病，以及神经系统组织的共同原则如何在各种形式的生命中共享。为了扩大对科学的参与，该研究员将在东道机构建立一个新的博士后兴趣小组，讨论学术界的反残疾人问题。该研究员还将在西班牙裔服务机构为本科研究人员组织为期一周的培训计划，照亮成为未来学术研究人员的道路。基因组编辑和尖端显微镜技术的进步使得在体内对小而透明的模型生物的神经元活动进行单细胞分辨率成像成为可能，这使得对神经科学中基础问题的探索变得越来越容易。在这里，该项目开发了被称为缓步动物的微观动物，作为收敛的系统级神经科学的新模型系统。与C.与秀丽线虫相比，缓步动物具有更复杂的神经系统，能够协调多肢运动，但它们保留了许多实验室友好的品质。这项工作建立了在Hypsibius exemplaris中进行转基因的方法，并产生了一种遗传编码的钙指示剂GCaMP缓步动物。随后，活缓步动物的全脑，全身神经动力学的特点，而动物经历不同的行为集：在定制的微流体装置，自由移动，并在出租车。行为分析利用光片显微镜和高分辨率的视频记录在体内。这项高度跨学科的研究将为理解全球神经动力学如何成为多肢生物体中更复杂行为（如运动）的基础做出重大贡献。作为一个更广泛的影响，研究员将在UCSF成立一个新的博士后兴趣小组，主题是“理解和挑战学术界的能力主义”。这个小组将定期安排期刊俱乐部，一个小组网站，在学术会议和K12外展外展。此外，为期一周的以缓步动物为重点的“实验室基础训练营”将为加州州立大学海峡群岛的首次本科研究人员组织。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2021, 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. This research develops tools in a novel microscopic animal system, to directly observe the whole-brain, and the whole-body nervous system—during the performance of complex behaviors. In particular, advanced genetic and microscopic methods will enable visualization of live brains and nervous systems, while animals are walking and responding to shifts in environmental stimuli. This will allow for a better understanding of a wide range of complex behaviors and disorders, and how common principles of nervous system organization are shared among various forms of life. To broaden participation in science, the Fellow will establish a new postdoctoral interest group at the host institution on the topic of anti-ableism in academia. The Fellow will also organize a week-long training program for undergraduate researchers at a Hispanic-serving institution, illuminating the path to becoming a future academic researcher. Advances in genome editing and cutting-edge microscopy have allowed for single-cell resolution imaging of neuronal activity in small, transparent model organisms in vivo—making the exploration of foundational questions in neuroscience increasingly accessible. Here, this project develops the microscopic animal known as the tardigrade as a new model system for convergent, systems-level neuroscience. Compared to C. elegans, tardigrades have more complex nervous systems capable of coordinated multi-limbed locomotion, yet they retain many lab-friendly qualities. This work establishes methods for transgenics in Hypsibius exemplaris and generates a strain of genetically-encoded calcium indicator GCaMP tardigrades. Subsequently, the whole-brain, whole-body neural dynamics of live tardigrades will be characterized, while animals undergo distinct sets of behaviors: constrained in a custom-built microfluidic device, freely-moving, and during -taxis. Behavioral assays utilize light-sheet microscopy and high-resolution video recordings in vivo. This highly interdisciplinary research will make significant contributions towards understanding how global neural dynamics underlie more complex behavior, such as locomotion, in live multi-limbed organisms. As a broader impact, the Fellow will form a new postdoctoral interest group at UCSF on the topic of “Understanding and challenging ableism in academia.” This group will have regularly scheduled journal clubs, a group website, outreach at academic conferences, and K12 outreach. Additionally, a week-long tardigrade-focused “Lab Fundamentals Bootcamp” will be organized, for first-time undergraduate researchers at California State University Channel Islands.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.