RUI:OSIB:The effects of high disease risk on uninfected animals

有害细菌和病毒等病原体一旦感染生物体，就会造成重大破坏。因此，生物体已经进化出应对感染的生理学策略(即，消灭病原体或减少其损害)。有趣的是，研究表明，在包括人类在内的许多物种中，仅仅是感染的风险(例如观察生病的人)就已经可以触发生理反应。然而，这些对疾病风险的生理反应并不是很好的特征。特别是，目前尚不清楚这些对疾病风险的生理反应是否会影响生存和生殖。为了解决这些知识上的差距，拟议的工作将使用一个模式物种和一种寄生虫，这种寄生虫会感染该物种并导致明显的症状。对疾病风险的生理反应机制的了解将促进人类健康和动物福利，并可能影响生物医学研究的进行方式。来自科学界历史上代表性不足的本科生将参与这项研究，提供一种形成性的教育体验。本科生还将与背景相似的高中生配对，以促进同伴指导计划，该计划将提高学生对科学的兴趣，并增强他们对自己从事科学事业的能力的信心。在大学开放日期间参观大学的中学生将有机会与年长的学生群体互动，了解他们的经验。新出现的研究表明，病原体不仅影响受感染的动物，还会影响它们周围的动物。例如，最近的研究表明，与患病的同类或暴露在疾病或寄生虫线索中的同居会导致健康同类的生理和行为发生变化。如果这些生理变化有助于减轻疾病负担或加快疾病恢复，它们可能会对疾病动力学产生连锁效应。这项建议的目的是研究暴露在疾病风险下如何影响未感染动物的生理和生殖投资，以及它们自身对感染的反应。为了实现这一目标，将使用宿主-寄生虫系统(金丝雀-鸡毒支原体)，已经证明在该系统中发生了对疾病风险的反应。为了量化观察受感染的有症状的禽类(疾病风险治疗)与观察健康的禽类相比如何影响动物，该项目将1)使用转录转录方法来解决多个器官如何随着时间的推移对疾病风险做出反应，2)评估疾病风险信息是否以及如何修改后续感染造成的损害和时间进程，以及3)量化存在疾病风险带来的生殖行为和投资的变化。该项目为对STEM感兴趣的未被充分代表的初中生、高中生和本科生提供了几个研究和参与机会。该奖项反映了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。

Pathogens, such as harmful bacteria and viruses, can cause significant damage once they infect an organism. As such, organisms have evolved physiological strategies to deal with infections (i.e., to destroy pathogens or reduce their damage). Interestingly, research has shown that in many species, including in humans, the mere risk of infection (such as observing someone who is sick) can already trigger physiological responses. However, these physiological responses to disease risk are not well characterized. In particular, it is not known if these physiological responses to disease risk affect survival and reproduction. To address those gaps in knowledge, the proposed work will use a model species and a parasite that infects that species and causes visible symptoms. An understanding of the mechanisms driving physiological response to disease risk will advance human health, animal welfare, as well as likely affect the way biomedical research is conducted. Undergraduate students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in science will participate in the research, providing a formative educational experience. Undergraduates will also be matched with high school students from similar backgrounds to facilitate a peer mentoring program that will increase student interest in science, as well as improve their confidence in their ability to pursue their own careers in science. Middle school students who visit the university during the university’s open day will have the chance to interact with the older groups of students and learn about their experiences. Emerging research is suggesting that pathogens affect not only infected animals, but also those around them. For example, recent studies have shown that cohabitation with sick conspecifics or exposure to disease or parasite cues leads to changes in the physiology and behavior of healthy conspecifics. If these physiological changes help reduce disease burden or speed up recovery from disease, they can have cascading effects on disease dynamics. The objective for this proposal is to study how exposure to disease risk affects the physiology and reproductive investment of uninfected animals, as well as their own responses upon infection. To accomplish this goal, a host-parasite system (canary - Mycoplasma gallisepticum) will be used, where responses to disease risk have already been demonstrated to occur. To quantify how observation of infected symptomatic birds (disease risk treatment) relative to observation of healthy birds affects animals, the project will 1) use a transcriptomic approach to address how multiple organs respond to disease risk over time, 2) evaluate whether and how disease risk information modifies the damage and the time course imposed by a subsequent infection, and 3) quantify changes in reproductive behavior and investment imposed by the presence of disease risk. Integrated into this project are several research and engagement opportunities for under-represented middle, high school, and undergraduate students interested in STEM.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.