Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2004

Bidart-Bouzat, Maria G, Hickory Corners MI

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2004. The goal of the fellowship is to increase the participation of minority scientists at the postdoctoral level and to prepare them for positions of scientific leadership in academia and industry. To attain this goal, the fellowship provides opportunities for postdoctoral training and research of the highest quality to recent doctoral recipients. It is expected that Fellows supported through these fellowships will play important roles in training of the future workforce. The research and training plan is entitled "Ecological and genetic responses of plants to insect herbivory." This research examines the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to insect herbivores using both ecological and functional genomics methodologies. The research examines how plants "recognize" and respond to insects. Comparing genomic information to quantitative plant responses related to life history, defense, and fitness in the field allows evaluation of plant defenses, tolerance, and co-evolution. The training goals are to prepare for an independent research career by learning techniques from and integrating ecology and functional genomics.