Program Description: The Blinks Fellowship Program brings
together enthusiastic fellows with marine scientists in a setting which features pristine biological resources
at University of Washington's marine science research facility, Friday Harbor Laboratories.
This program targets groups who
are historically underrepresented in the marine sciences. With support from the United Negro College Fund, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation,
the American Society for Cell Biology, the Federation of American Societies
for Experimental Biology, and the Anne Hof Blinks Memorial Fellowship, the Blinks Program offers a full immersion research experience for motivated undergraduates, post-baccalaureates and graduate students. In keeping with
the University of Washington's policy of encouraging diversity in
its student body and including underrepresented groups, the program seeks
4-8 students of diverse backgrounds and interests to participate in a eight to
twelve week summer research project in the marine sciences. By linking fellows
with marine scientists in a 1:1 research experience, fellows learn both the process and the substance of
scientific research. As the research progresses, fellows will be encouraged
to become semi-independent collaborators. The experience will expose fellows
to the life and work of a marine science research laboratory. Previous interns have gone on to successful careers in academia, government, industry and medicine.
There are two alternatives for this program:
The mentors and projects vary from year to year according to the developing research interests of faculty and graduate students. Research projects are designed by the scientists to be achievable projects which dovetail with their research plans. Project descriptions are posted below. Fellows will work semi-independently for approximately 40 hours per week.
As participants in the FHL community, Blinks Fellows will participate actively in FHL community activities, e.g. attend the weekly seminars, eat in the Dining Hall and live in the studentdormitory. Early in the summer session there will be a meeting of student participants with graduate students and mentors to share perspectives on graduate programs and participation in academic life, with a brief description of ongoing projects, and a question/answer session. At the end of their internship, fellows will present their research in a short powerpoint talk. Fellows will also write a scientific paper describing their work, and revise it based upon feedback from the mentor.
The Setting: Friday Harbor Labs is University of Washington's marine science field research station. Located north of Puget Sound in the San Juan Islands, FHL takes advantage of a remarkable diversity of marine habitats and organisms. FHL hosts 10-12 courses per year and approximately 100 independent researchers during the year. The 484 acre campus is the site for twelve lab buildings, a dining hall, 3 dorms and other housing units.
Research at FHL emphasizes marine invertebrate zoology, phycology, fisheries science, conservation biology, cell and molecular biology, biomedical sciences, oceanography and other scientific disciplines. Investigators and students use diversified field resources as well as modern analytical technologies such as a nucleotide sequencer, scanning laser confocal microscopes, scintillation counter, centrifuges, HPLC, TEM, SEM and other equipment. The Labs is equipped with a 58' research vessel, numerous smaller boats, cold rooms, and an extensive seawater system serving numerous lab buildings. The facility includes a computer lab, networked research labs, wi-fi connectivity, a well equipped stockroom, a 17,000 volume library, and SCUBA facilities.
Financial Support: Participants will be provided with financial support to meet costs of room, board, round trip travel and a $750/month stipend.
Eligibility: This program targets students who bring diversity to the FHL student body. In particular, we seek students who are entering their senior year of college/university, or post-baccalaureate, or graduate students.
Please e-mail all application materials to Scott Schwinge (schwinge@u.washington.edu).
Scott Schwinge
Helpful links:
Dr. Billie Swalla
University of Washington
http://faculty.washington.edu/bjswalla/
bjswalla@u.washington.edu
My research is focused on a complex, interdisciplinary biological question. I am interested in the evolution of animals, how they evolve such different forms, shapes, sizes, and colors. All animals on the earth begin life as a single cell, the fertilized egg. How does one cell become a whale, or a fly, or a spiny sea urchin, or parasitic heartworm? The single cell divides into many cells and each of the daughter cells then begin to become different from each other because of special proteins that were packaged into the egg. These proteins are powerful transcription factors, they control many genes by binding to DNA and turning the gene off or on. As cells accumulate in the young embryo, they then begin to talk to each other, or signal, by the secretion of other specialized proteins called signaling molecules. The signaling molecules activate different control genes in various cells, and eventually the cells in the embryo respond by moving, crawling, sliding across each other in order to form three germ layers. As the embryo continues to develop, it expresses different genes in different cells and eventually starts to form a recognizable organism.
Previous theories suggested that the ancestral chordate was similar to a tunicate, sea squirts that are sessile and filter feed, shown in the middle photo above. In contrast, my research suggests that our earliest ancestors were worms, living in the mud and eating plankton and detritus. These worms also filtered water for plankton and probably also for oxygen, as present day hemichordates. The closest living representatives of these ancestors are hemichordates (left photo in above figure), marine worms that are related to the better known echinoderms, such as sea stars and sea urchins. Echinoderms and hemichordate worms have similar embryonic development and the embryos develop into ciliated larvae, which float and feed on the plankton in the open ocean. However, after metamorphosis, echinoderms have a hard, spiny endoskeleton and are bottom dwellers, while the soft-bodied hemichordates burrow into the marine sand or mud.
Hemichordates are plentiful in Puget Sound and San Juan Islands, but must be dug out and so were rarely identified by species until I joined the University of Washington Biology faculty in 2000. I have since identified two species of Saccoglossus worms, one that is an invasive species from the east coast, S. bromophenolosus, and the other, S. pusillus that was previously thought to be only in southern California, but is now known to be found in Oregon and on Vancouver Island (Smith et al. 2003). We have also identified and studied Glossobalanus berkeleyi, from Hood Canal (Brown et al. 2008). Our lab has recently received NSF funding to continue to investigate evolutionary relationships between and within the phylum of Hemichordata in collaboration with Dr. Ken Halanych at Auburn University.
This Blinks internship project will consist of examining gene expression of a developmental gene during early embryonic development, larval development and then after metamorphosis. We work on both hemichordates and ascidians in my laboratory, so you'll get to choose which you find more interestsing. Some of the genes that we are most interested in studying are the developmental Hox genes, that determine anterior-posterior polarity in animals. Your project will help you understand genes and genomes, a bit about embryonic development and a whole lot about these fascinating invertebrates that are related to humans.
Dr. Sophie George
Biology Department
Georgia Southern University
georges@georgiasouthern.edu
The effect of food quality on number of cells ingested, growth, development and survival of echinoderm larvae will be investigated in summer 2009.
The main goal is to determine whether differences among larvae in the nutritional value of algal diets and growth of larvae on these diets is due to differences in ingestion rates and their ability to develop in fluctuating salinities. Preliminary studies suggest that, depending on the algal mixture, different species respond by increased or decreased growth and development. For example, the Dunaliella -Rhodomonas sp. algal mixture was among the worst diets for larval growth, rudiment development, and metamorphosis for the echinoid Dendraster excentricus (Schiopu et al. 2006), but this mixture promoted rapid larval development to metamorphosis for asteroids e.g. Pisaster ochraceus (unpublished). The Isochrysis-Dunaliella mixture was best for larval growth and development for the echinoids D. excentricus (Schiopu et al. 2006) and Mellita isometra, (Schiopu and George 2004) but preliminary studies suggest it is the worst for larval growth of the asteroid P. ochraceus. These results not only reflect variation in nutrients in the algal mixtures but might indicate differences in threshold values of specific nutrients required by asteroid and echinoid larvae. Studies by George and Walker (2007) also indicate that Dendraster larvae (see pictures below) can develop to metamorphosis at 22‰ salinity.
Interestingly, fluctuating salinity (going from 32 to 22‰ and back to 32‰) actually led to a higher number of larvae undergoing metamorphosis than a continuous high salinity of 32‰. This summer, mixed algal diets with high (Dunaliella + Rhodomonas sp., Chaetoceros+ Dunaliella), and low (Dunaliella+Isochrysis) nutrient content and salinities of 22 and 32‰ will be used to determine what nutrient levels and salinity combination will lead to optimal growth of echinoderm larvae. This project will illuminate the complex interactions between nutrition, salinity, ingestion rates, and growth rates of the echinoidea with pluteus larval forms, and the asteroidea with bipinnaria and brachiolaria larval forms.
Knowledge of the specific nutrient requirements and optimal salinity required for development would be a major breakthrough for sea urchin aquaculture. The participating student would be directly involved in preparing algal cultures; rearing larvae to metamorphic competency, preparing larvae for biochemical analysis, photographing echinoderm larvae etc. Past students have presented their research at regional (GAS) and international meetings (SICB), and are coauthors on 3 recent articles from research at FHL.
Schiopu Daniela., George, Sophie B. & Castell, John. 2006. Ingestion rates and dietary fatty acid composition of Dendraster excentricus larvae Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 28 pages, 328:47-75.
George, Sophie B. & Walker, Devoc. 2007 Short-term fluctuation in salinity promotes rapid development and metamorphosis of Dendraster excentricus larvae. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 348:113-130.
George, Sophie B., Fox Colleen & Wakeham, Stuart 2008. Fatty acid composition of larvae of the sand dollar Dendraster excentricus (Echinodermata) might reflect FA composition of the diets. Aquaculture 285: 167-173.
Dr. Sarah Gilman
The Claremont Colleges
Joint Science Department
sgilman@jsd.claremont.edu
Dr. Emily Carrington
University of Washington
Department of Biology
ecarring@u.washington.edu
The intertidal is a highly complex and variable environment. Organisms separated by only a few meters may experience great differences in temperature, wave strength, and surrounding community composition. These differences may affect the behavior, growth, survival, and reproductive success of an organism. We are interested in the ecological and evolutionary consequences of environmental variation for organisms and populations.
One particular area of interest is the role temperature plays in structuring species interactions. Global climate change is expected to significantly increase air and water temperatures. One simple effect of temperature on ectotherms is to increase metabolic rates. At warmer temperatures individuals must either increase feeding rates or reduce energy allocations to growth and/or reproduction. In turn, these changes can strongly affect a species’ ecology and its interactions with other species. For example, changes in feeding rates may affect the abundance of prey species. Changes in size could affect susceptibility to predation or competitive success. These changes can then cascade to other species in the community.
Whelks (Nucella lamellosa, N. ostrina, and N. canaliculata) are common predators on rocky intertidal shores of the San Juan Islands. Their primary prey species include mussels (Mytilus spp.) and barnacles (Balanus glandula, Semibalanus cariosus, Chthamalus sp.). We are interested in understanding how warmer climate affects each species individually as well as interactions among species. For example, do warmer temperatures increase or decrease growth rates of whelks and barnacles? Does temperature influence the foraging rate of whelks? How do changes in predation rates affect the survival and growth of the prey (barnacles and mussels)? How do changes in the growth rate of the prey affect the energy intake of the predators?
There are several projects that a Blinks student could conduct that would address these questions. For example, several species could be reared in the lab under different temperature conditions to see how temperature affects growth rates. Similar measurements could be made in the field and coupled with measurements of environmental conditions. A student could also study the behavior of different whelk species to determine if temperature changes foraging activity. Specific skills that a Blinks fellow could learn over the course of this project are the design of manipulative field experiments, quantitative analysis of digital images, use of a variety of meteorological devices, and the use of software packages for database management as well as graphical and statistical analysis.
Dr. Robin Kodner
University of Washington - Friday Harbor Laboratories
rkodner@u.washington.edu
I use new genomic and metagenomic techniques to study algal lipid biosynthesis, because lipids are the most organic molecules for the global carbon cycle on long time scales. The foundation of my research lies in the major role algae play in the global carbon cycle by contributing the most significant amount of biomass to carbon sinks. At FHL, I am working to understand how the diversity of phytoplankton in the environment at any given time influence the amount of carbon that can be sequestered in carbon sinks. This will be important in understanding the feedbacks from phytoplankton in the global carbon cycle as climate changes in the future. This work will combine field sampling of plankton and sediments with characterization of lipid biosynthesis genes from the environment.
I sample phytoplankton and water from around the San Juan Islands, and characterize the lipids and genes involved in synthesizing these lipids from the samples. I also collect sediment underlying my sample sites to characterize lipids from sediments and microfossils of the phytoplankton that sink down. The student will learn field sampling techniques and various microscopy techniques for both water and sediment samples. They will also learn to extract and analyze organic compounds from the environment or use molecular biology to sequence genes for lipid biosynthesis in the environment. The student can choose which they are more interested in doing. In addition the student will lean data analysis for mass spectra or for sequence data. If the student chooses sequencing, he/she will have the opportunity to learn how to analyze molecular biology data from their generated sequences and from metagenomes, and make phylogenetic trees for analysis of diversity.
Dr. James Murray
California State University, East Bay
Biological Sciences
tritoniadiomedea@mac.com
The local sea slug Tritonia is a remarkable animal which has been studied intensely due to its enormous brain cells, which are sometimes 100 times bigger than human brain cells. Because their brain cells are so large, it is relatively easy to record their activity with electrodes. By recording from their brain cells, which number about 7000, we understand a lot about how their brain cells process sensory information and control their movements. My laboratory has focused on how some brain cells help the slug sense the directions of the tides, and to move into tidal flow. Although we know about how some brain cells control contractions of the foot, we don't yet know which cells are needed for turning during crawling. Turning is caused by muscular contractions of the foot, but there are hundreds of brain cells that cause some contraction of the foot, and most of these cells have not been studied. This gap in our knowledge is an excellent opportunity for student research.
This project will emphasize brain function. This student will learn how to record electrical activity from brain cells, how to stimulate brain cells to cause muscular contractions of the foot, and how to video record these movements. The student will then inject a fluorescent tracer chemical into the brain cell, and will create a three-dimensional scanned image of the cell using the confocal microscope. These results will contribute to an atlas of brain cells and the movements they each cause. These data will be submitted to the Neuron Bank, an online database of brain cells and their functions. This database is a valuable resource that will benefit brain researchers world-wide.
Dr. Dianna Padilla
State University of New York - Stony Brook
padilla@life.bio.sunysb.edu
Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to natural communities and conservation efforts. The Pacific Oyster, Crassostrea gigas, is the most widely cultured aquaculture species around the world. This species has recently become invasive in important ecosystems in at least 20 countries, covering areas of Northern and Central Europe, South Africa. Australia, New Zealand, parts of Asia and North America, and is having major impacts on shores that it invades. This species invaded the shores of San Juan Island in the mid-1990s, and continues to spread. This invaders is also more abundant within our marine reserves than comparable non-reserve areas.
Our research to date has shown that these oysters have a large impact on communities they invade, decreasing local abundance and diversity of members of the community. One exception to this is limpets. Limpets are snails that have shield-shaped shells, so have a large foot that they use to attach to the substrate. Their teeth are made of iron and silica, and thus they are important grazers on all algae and can control most algal species when they are in high abundance. Because of their large foot, limpets are restricted in living on substrates open enough for them to attach and crawl.
We will be using field and laboratory experiments and physical models (oysters with temperature loggers) to test hypotheses about why limpets are more abundant on oysters, and whether the increase in limpet abundance on oysters is an important factor responsible for the impact of oysters on local diversity. This project provides opportunities to see beautiful field sites around San Juan Island, conduct field and laboratory experiments, and learn about physical biology and models, and conduct important research on invasive species and climate change.
Dr. Pedro Verdugo
University of Washington
Department of Bioengineering and Friday Harbor Laboratories
verdugo@u.washington.edu
Dissolved Organic Matter (DOM) comprises one of the largest stocks of reduced organic carbon present in our planet reaching ~700 Gt (1 Gigaton = 10^15 g). However, the fate of these molecules, their chemical, physical, and biological interactions and their ultimate destination remain as one of the most intriguing and significant challenges in geochemistry and marine biology.
DOM lies at the bottom of the food chain as it comprises the basic fuel for marine microorganisms. To metabolize substrate, bacteria reduce DOM polymers to small residues (³600 D) using exto-enzymes that are released to the water. Considering that DOM is found at only micromolar concentrations in seawater, the rate-limiting parameter for bacterial to catch nutrient is the long diffusional random walk required for exto-enzymes to bind and cleave highly dilute DOM. However, one of the most significant features of DOM is that these polymers can self-assemble remaining in reversible equilibrium forming microscopic gels.
In the laboratory DOM self-assembly has a thermodynamic yield of ~10% generating a corresponding estimated pool that could reach ~70 Gt (Nature 391:568-572, 1998). Field studies confirm that microscopic gels similar to those assembled in the laboratory are indeed present in the water column from surface down to 4000 meters depths. They are found in concentrations ranging from 106 to 1012 microgels´L-1 reaching a corresponding estimated global mass of ~ 1-100 Gt (Mar Chem 106: 229-239, 2007; Faraday Discuss. RSC 139: 393-398, 2008). Compared to bulk seawater these gels contain an estimated one thousand step increase of organic matter concentration that remains available as a rich nutrient source for bacterial mineralization. In fact, optical tomography shows that bacterial concentration inside marine microgels is several orders of magnitude higher than in bulk seawater. However, considering their microscopic size and low density, the presence of these gels across the whole water column still remains an enigma.
Preliminary experiments conducted during 2008 by Mr. Peter Duggins (a senior high school student) in my laboratory revealed that the application of Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) can provide the basis for the development of a simple and reliable method to detect DOM-assembled microgels in seawater. The selected Blinks Scholar candidate will continue these investigations working with seawater samples collected in the Puget Sound in transects from surface to 100 m depth. The selected candidate will get intensive training in water sampling, microscopy, optical tomography, fluorescence spectroscopy, and dynamic laser scattering spectroscopy.
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