- Agency
- University of Colorado Boulder
- Location
- Boulder, CO
- Job Category
- Temporary/Seasonal Positions
- Salary
- stipend (NSF REU)
- Start Date
- 05/30/2023
- Last Date to Apply
- 03/03/2023
- Website
- http://www.johnsonlaboratory.com
- Description
- The Johnson Laboratory (http://www.johnsonlaboratory.com) is accepting qualified undergraduates to apply for a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) opportunity to work on emerging infectious diseases in amphibians. This project will focus on how invasive species alter transmission and pathology of the amphibian chytrid fungus (see below) and will based out of the Blue Oak Ranch Reserve in the Bay Area of California. The position will begin in early May and continue into mid August 2023. Research Project: Parasite manipulation of amphibian body plans? The primary objective for this project is to better understand how infection by the trematode parasite R. ondatrae leads to disruption of amphibian limb development, which has remained a controversial question despite years of speculation. It is hypothesized that such malformations are adaptive for the parasite; by interfering with the locomotory system of the frog (i.e., the hind limbs), infected hosts are more vulnerable to predation by birds – which function as the parasite’s definitive hosts. 1) Part of this project will involve examining already collected field data and testing whether populations that exhibited fewer-than-expected malformations had evidence of earlier phenology or faster tadpole growth. This will also include comparisons of the types of malformations observed (e.g., minor digit anomalies are expected to be associated with later exposure relative to abnormalities affecting the entire limb). 2) Building from these analyses, the second part will entail a 2 x 2 laboratory experiment testing how amphibian developmental stage (early vs. intermediate limb growth) and trematode exposure dosage (5 vs. 20 cercariae) interact to determine key epidemiological outcomes: malformation risk, malformation type, and the distribution of parasites within hosts.
- Qualifications
- *Please remember ONLY undergraduates that will be continuing their education in fall 2023 can apply (i.e., you must still be enrolled as a student to be eligible) * To apply: Email an application package that includes (1) a brief statement of interest detailing how obtaining an REU would advance your career goals; (2) a statement of how you will support diversity and inclusion if selected, and (3) a current CV. Please compile the application package into a single PDF and email to dana.calhoun@colorado.edu with the subject title (MALFORMATION REU application) by March 3rs, 2023. Applications will be reviewed as soon as they are received. *Please remember ONLY undergraduates that will be continuing their education in fall 2023 can apply (i.e., you must still be enrolled as a student to be eligible) *
- Contact Person
- Dana M Calhoun
- Contact eMail
- dana.calhoun@colorado.edu
