Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Microbial Biology for FY 2002

Duplessis Melinda R, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Microbial Biology for FY2002. 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 "Chloroplast gene experssion studies on the toxic bloom-forming organism Heterosigma akashiwo during resting cell formation and activation." Massive blooms of the toxic golden-brown alga Heterosigma akashiwo negatively impact all levels of the food web. It can form a resting stage which allows it to withstand stressful environmental conditions. This research examines chloroplast genes involved in environmental recognition and the regulatory processes that enable Heterosigma to enter and escape dormancy.