Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Microbial Biology for FY 2003

Rich, Jeremy J, Princeton NJ

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Microbial Biology for FY2003. 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 recent doctoral recipients to obtain additional training in microbial biology, to gain research experience under the sponsorship of established scientists, and to broaden their 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 "Exploring new marine microbes involved in anaerobic ammonium oxidation." The discovery of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) has provided new insights into the physiological diversity of microbes. The environmental significance and consequences of anammox are yet to be elucidated. The research is identifying and characterizing the microbes involved in anammox in marine systems. The population dynamics and activities of these microbes are being examined using advanced molecular and stable isotope techniques.