Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Microbial Biology for FY2001

Lee, Anthea K, Mission Viejo CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Microbial Biology for FY2001. The fellowship supports training and research on the basic biology of protozoan, microalgal, fungal, archaeal, bacterial and viral species that are not generally considered to be model organisms. Further, it provides opportunities for a recent doctoral recipients to obtain additional training in microbial biology, to gain research experience under the sponsorship of established scientists, and to broaden his/her scientific horizons beyond the research experiences during the undergraduate and graduate training. These fellowships are further designed to assist new scientists to direct their research efforts across traditional disciplinary lines and to avail themselves of unique research resources, sites, and facilities, including foreign locations. The research and training plan is entitled "Development of a two-species biofilm to study bacteria-bacteria interactions." This project applies the power of bacterial genetics to an environmental biofilm to determine the intricate associations between 2 different species of bacteria. Shewanella and Desulfovibrio species are ubiquitous environmental bacteria that form natural biofilms and promote steel corrosion. This ecological system is genetically and chemically tractable and is being used to develop a model for a 2-species biofilm to examine the structural impact of each species on the biofilm, identify and characterize genes that are induced or expressed during biofilm development, and identify parameters essential for maintaining the 2-species biofilm.