NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2013

Djabrayan Nareg J, Barcelona/08013

Investigators

Abstract

This Postdoctoral Research Fellowship award to Dr. Nareg Djabrayan is supported by both the Directorate for Biological Sciences and the Office of International Science and Engineering at the National Science Foundation. During the 24-month fellowship, Dr. Djabrayan will work on a project titled, "Repopulation and remodeling of larval Drosophila trachea by imaginal tracheal cells" under the sponsorship of Dr. Jordi Casanova at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Barcelona, Spain. The main objective of the proposed research is to understand the way cells integrate information about their identity with information received from their environment in order to coordinate their behavior in the context of an organ and the entire organism. The project will use, as a model, the behavior of stem cells that remodel the breathing organs, or trachea, of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster during the transition from the larval to adult form. By understanding the mechanisms that determine the identity of these stem cells as well as the timing of their transition from a quiescent state to one of active growth, this project will gain insight into the logic by which cells determine their behavior based on their identity and their environmental conditions. This project will lead to a better understanding of the controls of cell growth. Because the cells to be studied behave as stem cells that remodel and replace the larval organ with an adult organ, any information gained from the study will be useful for understanding how cells, tissues or organs are restored to normal function. As part of this project, Dr. Djabrayan will participate in workshops organized by the host institute that engages teachers from local high schools. He will also work with the Department of Communications and External Relations at the host institute to disseminate the results of the research to a broader audience via press kits and other non-technical publications. This award provides a unique opportunity for a US scientist to collaborate with foreign scientists, and utilize the unique facilities, expertise and experimental conditions available abroad.