NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology: Free-Living Amoebae Predation Mechanisms and Fostering Inclusive Communities in Environmental Microbiology through Peer-Mentoring

美国国家科学基金会生物学博士后奖学金：自由生活的变形虫捕食机制和通过同伴指导培养环境微生物学的包容性社区

• 批准号: 2305959
• 负责人: Katherine Dowdell
• 金额: $ 24万
• 依托单位: Dowdell, Katherine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Fellowship Award
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-06-01 至 2026-05-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2305959&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NSF; Postdoctoral; Fellowship; Biology; Free

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2023, Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology. Free-living amoebae are single-celled microorganisms that feed on smaller microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Free-living amoebae are important predators in soil and aquatic ecosystems, influencing microbial communities and contributing to the evolution of bacterial strategies to evade predation. However, the mechanisms that govern interactions between free-living amoebae and bacteria are poorly understood. This research will investigate how free-living amoebae interact with pathogenic and benign bacteria, and how these interactions shape microbial communities. The research is important because it will provide insights essential for engineering of microbial communities and prevention of pathogen growth in soil and aquatic environments. The fellow will broaden participation of groups underrepresented in biology through the formation of a postdoctoral peer mentoring group, which will encourage the retention of postdoctoral researchers from underrepresented groups in science by providing a venue for peer support and professional development.This research will investigate how the ubiquitous free-living amoeba Acanthamoeba castellanii interacts with diverse bacteria, and the resulting impacts on microbial communities. Specific hypotheses include the following: 1) A. castellanii utilizes distinct predation mechanisms for different bacteria, 2) A. castellanii preferentially grazes on benign bacteria versus pathogenic bacteria, 3) chemotaxis is not involved in A. castellanii predation, and 4) predation mechanisms employed by A. castellanii for grazing on bacteria in biofilms are distinct from those used for grazing on planktonic cells. Hypotheses will be investigated using transcriptomics, advanced microscopy, and microfluidic chips with live-cell microscopy. The research will provide vital knowledge regarding predator-prey theory and the interactions between amoebae and bacteria in environmental systems. It also will inform the fields of environmental engineering and public health, which require a deeper understanding of microeukaryotes to effectively control microbial communities and prevent pathogen proliferation. The fellow will receive mentoring in analysis of transcriptomic data sets and live-cell microscopy through the sponsoring scientists. The fellow will also work to broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in biology through mentorship of undergraduate and graduate students in the laboratory and the formation of an interdisciplinary postdoctoral peer mentoring group, which will provide professional development and increase a sense of belonging.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.

该行动为2023财年的生物学生物学研究金提供了一项NSF博士后研究奖学金，扩大了在生物学中代表不足的群体的参与。 自由生活的变形虫是单细胞微生物，以较小的微生物为食，包括细菌，真菌和病毒。自由生活的变形虫是土壤和水生生态系统中重要的捕食者，影响了微生物群落，并为逃避捕食的细菌策略的发展做出了贡献。但是，对自由生活的变形虫和细菌之间相互作用的机制知之甚少。这项研究将研究自由生活的变形虫如何与致病细菌和良性细菌相互作用，以及这些相互作用如何塑造微生物群落。这项研究很重要，因为它将为微生物群落的工程和预防土壤和水生环境中的病原体生长提供必不可少的见解。同胞将通过形成博士后同伴指导小组来扩大生物学中人数不足的参与，这将鼓励保留科学中代表性不足小组的博士后研究人员，通过提供同伴支持的场地，通过提供一项研究的baCHANIIBAIRIA ACANIIBA ACAIRIA ACANIIISENIIBAIRAICA ACANIIBAIRAICA cOSTERIA，并将微生物社区。具体假设包括以下内容：1）A。castellanii采用不同细菌的不同捕食机制，2）A。castellanii优先在良性细菌上放牧良性细菌与致病细菌，3）趋化性与castellanii捕食曲霉的生物均不同，而不是castellanii的捕食机制。放牧浮游细胞。将使用带有活细胞显微镜的转录组学，晚期显微镜和微流体芯片研究假设。这项研究将提供有关捕食者 - 捕集理论以及环境系统中变形虫与细菌之间相互作用的重要知识。它还将为环境工程和公共卫生的领域提供信息，这些领域需要更深入地了解微生核，以有效控制微生物群落并防止病原体增殖。该研究员将通过赞助科学家对转录组数据集的分析和活细胞显微镜进行指导。该研究员还将通过在实验室中的本科和研究生的指导以及形成一个跨学科的博士后同伴指导小组来扩大代表性不足的群体在生物学中的参与，这将提供专业发展并增加归属感。这是NSF的法定任务和审查的范围，这是通过评估的范围来弥补的。