NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY2008

2008 财年 NSF 少数族裔博士后研究奖学金

• 批准号: 0805519
• 负责人: Irene Newton
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Newton Irene G
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-10-01 至 2010-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0805519&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; Minority; Postdoctoral; Research; Fellowship

This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2008. The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow who also presents a plan to broaden participation in biology through mentorship. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Irene G. Newton is "Investigating host genes that control growth of an intracellular bacterial symbiont." The host institution for this research is Tufts University and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Ralph Isberg.Wolbachia are parasitic bacteria that are estimated to inhabit the cells of 15-20% of insect species. Given that these bacteria are harmful to insect host cells as they can change male hosts into females or even kill male offspring, it is surprising to find Wolbachia regularly residing within host cells without harming the host. This research is investigating how the host may limit the growth of this bacterial symbiont. Using host cell lines, factors contributing to control of parasite densities are being investigated, and the function of proteins in the context of parasitism are further characterized in the whole host organism. The training objectives include techniques in intracellular bacterial lineages and host interaction, handling both adult insects and cell lines harboring Wolbachia, as well as RNA interference (RNAi). The results will impact research on Wolbachia, and show insight on persistent symbiotic bacterial infections through understanding why these invading bacterial lineages can be stably maintained in the insect hosts without generating disease.

这项行动资助了 2008 财年 NSF 少数派博士后研究奖学金。该奖学金支持研究员在主办实验室的研究和培训计划，该研究员还提出了一项通过指导扩大生物学参与的计划。艾琳·牛顿 (Irene G. Newton) 的研究和培训计划的标题是“研究控制细胞内细菌共生体生长的宿主基因”。这项研究的主办机构是塔夫茨大学，资助科学家是 Ralph Isberg 博士。沃尔巴克氏体是一种寄生细菌，据估计栖息在 15-20% 昆虫物种的细胞中。鉴于这些细菌对昆虫宿主细胞有害，因为它们可以将雄性宿主变成雌性，甚至杀死雄性后代，令人惊讶的是发现沃尔巴克氏体经常居住在宿主细胞内而不伤害宿主。这项研究正在研究宿主如何限制这种细菌共生体的生长。 使用宿主细胞系，正在研究有助于控制寄生虫密度的因素，并进一步表征整个宿主生物体中蛋白质在寄生情况下的功能。 培训目标包括细胞内细菌谱系和宿主相互作用、处理含有沃尔巴克氏体的成虫和细胞系以及 RNA 干扰 (RNAi) 的技术。 这些结果将影响对沃尔巴克氏体的研究，并通过了解为什么这些入侵的细菌谱系可以在昆虫宿主中稳定维持而不产生疾病，展示对持续共生细菌感染的见解。