NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2016

Gomaa Fatma, Medford MA

Investigators

Abstract

Postdoctoral Fellow: Fatma Gomaa Proposal Number: 1611514 This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2016, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The title of the research plan for this fellowship to Fatma Gomaa is "Assessing the diversity, specificity and functions of the bacterial communities associated with free-living amoebae belonging to genus Arcella (Arcellinida: Amoebozoa)." The host institution for this fellowship is Harvard University, and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Colleen Cavanaugh. The goal of this research is to investigate the genetic and functional diversity of the core symbiotic bacterial community associated with closely related species of free-living amoebae obtained from wild and cultured isolates. Research on protist-bacteria interactions is increasingly relevant as these associations play important roles in ecosystem and human health. The Fellow is comparing the stability of the symbiotic bacterial community under different experimental conditions (e.g., food source, temperature, and pH), and exploring whether complementary metabolic pathways are essential for amoeba survival and adaptation to stressful environments (e.g., low pH, heavy metals). This research is increasing our understanding of how ancestral life forms such as members of Amoebozoa co-evolved along with microbes in response to environmental variability, as well as contributing to the understanding of how key protist groups will respond to future climatic changes. The Fellow is receiving training in transcriptomics, genomics, bioinformatics, and microscopy. To broaden the participation of underrepresented groups in biology, the Fellow is training and mentoring K-12 and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups. These students are conducting laboratory experiments with field collections and hands-on molecular biology exercises, and learning about data analyses and manuscript writing. High school students and undergraduates involved in the project also interact with other members of the sponsoring scientist's lab, attending and contributing to weekly lab meetings with presentations once per semester. Finally, the Fellow is doing educational outreach to students and K-12 teachers through the Harvard Life Sciences Outreach Program, advancing their knowledge of evolutionary and ecological principles through studies of protists and symbiosis.