Progress 11/15/06 to 11/14/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: A new interdisciplinary program of graduate education and research in Aquaculture Genomics was established in the Biology Department at North Carolina State University (NCSU) with support from the National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program. The program sought to deliver scientists broadly skilled in applying genomics to problems in fish breeding, growth and health management researched by the core faculty. Multidisciplinary training of the NNF fellows involved their completion of a core curriculum (24 credit hours) in Aquaculture Genomics that includes proscribed courses in Aquaculture, Fish Physiology, Experimental Statistics, Molecular & Cell Biology, Fish Health, Journal Club, and Laboratory Rotation, plus a minor curriculum (11-18 credit hours) in Genomic Sciences, Biotechnology or Physiology also including as several hours of Dissertation Research. Three NNF doctoral student fellows were recruited to this program academic transcripts, GRE scores, letters from referees, and prior achievements. The NNF Fellows are D. Andrew Baltzegar, Scott A. Salger, and Valerie N. Williams, all entering the Ph.D. in Zoology program administered in the Biology Department. Each Fellow identified a primary mentor to act as Chair of their supervisory committee and to supervise their doctoral dissertation reearch. D. Andrew Baltzegar researched the involvement of tight junctional proteins (claudins) in regulation of gill epithelial permeability (osmoregulation) in the Nile tilapia under the direction of Dr. Borski. Scott A. Salger investigated the function of antimicrobial peptides (e.g. piscidins) in innate immunity in the striped bass and its relatives under the direction of Dr. Noga followed by Dr. Sullivan. Valerie Wiiliams tested the hypothesis that disruption of the production and processing of multiple yolk precursors (vitellogenins) is a major cause of poor egg quality in striped bass and other farmed fishes under the direction of Dr. Sullivan. The dissertation research of the NNF fellows was conducted in the laboratories of these core faculty, at on-campus aquatics research facilities and aquaculture field laboratories, and in the NCSU Genome Research Laboratory and associated former Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory. Support of the dissertation research of the fellows was leveraged in the form of grant support obtained by the core faculty from diverse sources including, as examples, N.C. Sea Grant and other USDA-CSREES/NRI programs, and the aquaculture industry itself. The doctoral dissertation research of these NNF Fellows was conducted in collaboration with aquaculture producers, which enabled the fellows to develop a deep understanding of the practical needs of industry. All fellows have developed their Graduate Plan of Work, chosen their other Graduate Supervisory Committee members, developed a Dissertation research proposal presented and approved at a Supervisory Committee meeting, completed their general examination for admission to Ph.D. candidacy, and completed their doctoral dissertation research. All Fellows are expected to defend their doctoral thesis research and graduate in May of 2013. PARTICIPANTS: Thurman L. Grove was the original Project Director and managed the overall project from 2006 through 2008. Co-Project Investigator Craig V. Sullivan took over as Project Director in 2009 and served as primary mentor for one NNF Fellow, Valerie N. Williams, and took over this role for another NNF Fellow, Scott A. Salger when his primary mentor, Co-Project Investigator Edward J. Noga retired from NCSU in 2009. Dr. Harry V. Daniels took over these responsibilities for Dr. Sullivan during the last two months of the project (September-November 2011). Co-Project Investigator Russell J. Borski acted as primary mentor for the remaining NNF Fellow, D. Andrew Baltzegar. N.C. State University Graduate Faculty members John Godwin (Dept. Biology), Christopher Ashwell (Dept. Poultry Science), Glen W. Almond (Dept. Population Health and Pathobiology), Gregory A. Lewbart (Dept. Clinical Sciences), Charles Opperman (Dept. Plant Pathology), and Jeffrey A Yoder (Dept. Molecular Biomedical Sciences) served on the Graduate Supervisory Committees of the NNF Fellows as did Robert W. Chapman from the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. Brad Ring (Research Specialist) and John Davis (Research Specialist) from the Biology Department at NCSU assisted with maintenance of fish systems and animals in the on-campus facilities used by the NNF Fellows, and the staff of the NCSU Pamlico Aquaculture Field Laboratory (PAFL), Andy McGinty (Superintendent), Michael Hopper (Research Technician), and Roger Barber (Research Technician) were responsible the day to day care of fish and assisted with the breeding activities at the PAFL, which was utilized by all three Fellows for their research. Postdoctoral Research Associate Benjamin J. Reading played an important role in mentoring all three Fellows in genomics research and fellow doctoral students in the Department of Biology, Eugene T. Won and Matt E. Picha contributed significantly to the training of the NNF Fellows in genomics methodologies. Partner organizations included the N.C. State University (NCSU) College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Departments of Poultry Science and Plant Pathology, and the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Departments of Clinical Sciences, Molecular Biomedical Sciences and Population Health and Pathobiology. Other partner organizations included the NCSU CALS Genome Research Laboratory and Pamlico Aquaculture Field Laboratory, North Carolina Sea Grant; the U.S. Striped Bass Growers Association; the National Program for Genetic Improvement and Selective Breeding for the Hybrid Striped Bass Industry; and Carolina Fisheries; CastleHayne Fisheries, and Pungo Fisheries in North Carolina. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences for this NNF program include national and international educators in the area of aquacultural sciences, the scientific community, including graduate and undergraduate students, engaged in research on aquaculture species, and U.S. and N.C. aquaculture producers, especially those hosting NNF fellow research on their farms. The USDA-CSREES Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program and NCSU NNF Aquaculture Genomics Program received broad exposure through the advertisements to recruit Fellows for the NCSU Aquaculture Genomics NNF Program, which were distributed by N.C. Sea Grant, the National Sea Grant Office, the NCSU Genomic Sciences Program, the Aquaculture Network Information Center, the National Aquaculture Genome Project, the World Aquaculture Society, the American Fisheries Society, and the NCSU AGEP Program, the Fish Health Section of the American Fisheries Society, the International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine, the International Society of Developmental and Comparative Immunology, and the Association of Veterinary Immunologists. The existence and progress of the program also was announced annually by the Project Director in platform talks at major scientific conferences including the Aquaculture Workshop at the International Plant and Animal Genome Conference, the annual Meeting of the Striped Bass Growers Association, the annual meeting of the US Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society (Aquaculture America), and the NC Aquaculture Development Conference, as examples. The program was featured in an invited presentation "Genomic enablement of aquaculture: Graduate Research, education and training," given by R.J. Borski, C.V. Sullivan and E.M. Nogam at the 1st International Symposium on Aquaculture and Fisheries Education (ISAFE), in Bangkok, Thailand (2009). The program also was announced and advertised on the NCSU Department of Biology homepage, on the homepage of the National Aquaculture Genome Project , and on the fellows individual homepages. The NNF Aquaculture Genomics Program at NCSU has not been renewed to date due to the retirement or pending of many PIs (Grove, Noga, Oleksiak; Sullivan in Fall 2013). However, it is expected that the remaining PI will develop a plan for continuation of the Aquaculture Genomics training program as a regular area of specialty of graduate research in the Biology Department at NCSU. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Because Co-Project Investigator M.F. Oleksiak left N.C. State University in 2006, shortly after the start of the project, she was not involved in graduate training in this program. Co-Project Investigator T.L. Grove retired from NCSU in 2008 and did not supervise a graduate student on the project. Co-project investigator E.J. Noga left N.C. State University in 2009 and his graduate student, NNF Fellow Scott A. Salger, came under the direction of the Project Director, C.V. Sullivan to complete his program. Of the remaining two NNF Fellows, D.A. Baltzegar was supervised by Co-Project Investigator R.J. Borski, and V.N. Williams, was supervised by Project Director C.V. Sullivan. Because the course Fish Health management (VMS695) originally proposed for the NNF Fellow's curriculum was no longer available, a new Fish Health Management course (ZO824S) was developed and offered to the fellows in the Fall 2008. In the new Fish Health Management course, the fellows completed an in-service training course on the subject that is offered by the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine to practicing veterinarians, and they also completed the class project of developing a Fish Health Management operations manual for the new Aquatic Research Laboratory of our College of Agriculture and Life Sciences that is under construction on main campus.
Impacts
The major impact of the program has been the education of members of a new generation of scientists trained in application of genomic sciences to aquaculture research and development. By virtue of their shared experiences in a rigourous multi-disciplinary program, the NNF fellows formed a cohesive group that brought leadership and value to our student body. Empowering them to play an active role in design of the new "Aquaculture Genomics" courses engaged non-fellows, including undergraduates, in these courses and research activities, and has delivered new courses (Fish Health management, Aquaculture Journal Club) and products (e.g. a Fish Health Manual) of benefit to the entire NCSU aquaculture community. We have learned that establishing an NNF training program clearly has the potential to have far reaching benefits if the fellows are empowered to play a lead role in the process. Additionally, through their participation in Laboratory Rotation the fellows have learned teamwork and team building skills and have become research collaborators, each of whom brings unique strengths and experiences to the research enterprise. Their collaboration empowers the research of all. Another obvious outcome is the professional development of the fellows in knowledge of their discipline and in the scientific enterprise, including experimental design and execution. The cumulative average grade point average of all three fellows is near a perfect 4.0 and the results of their research have found their way into scientific meeting proceedings and the primary scientific literature. The NNF fellows have authored 9 papers presented at meetings including the annual meting of the World Aquaculture Society and the International Plant and Animal Genome Conference, as examples. They have already authored five papers authored in leading aquaculture research or related journals, with a score more manuscripts in preparation or submitted for publication. Thus the fellows have received excellent training in Aquaculture Genomics.
Publications
- Elsburgh O.C., Harms, C.A., Law, J.M., Flowers, J.R., Williams, V.N., Ring, B.D., McGinty, A.S., Hopper, M., and Sullivan, C.V. (2012) Polyopisthocotylean Monogenean Trematode, Gamacallum macroura, in White Bass (Morone chrysops). J. Aquat. Anim. Health 24 (4):251-7.
- Won E.T., Baltzegar D.A., Picha M.E., and Borski, R.J. (2012) Cloning and characterization of leptin in a perciform fish, the striped bass (Morone saxatilis): control of feeding and regulation by nutritional state. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 178(1):98-107.
- Salger S.A., Reading, B.J., Baltzegar, D.A ., Sullivan, C.V., and Noga, E.J. (2011) Molecular characterization of two isoforms of piscidin 4 from the hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops x Morone saxatilis). Fish and Shellfish Immunology 30(1):420-424.
- Ruangsri J., Salger, S.A., Caipang, C.M.A., Kiron, V., and Fernandes, J.M.O. (2012) Differential expression and biological activity of two piscidin paralogues and a novel splice variant in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.). Fish and Shellfish Immunology 32:396-406.
- Tipsmark C.K., Baltzegar D.A., Ozden O., Grubb B.J., and Borski, R.J. (2008) Salinity regulates claudin mRNA and protein expression in the teleost gill. Am. J. Physiol. Regul. Integr. Comp. Physiol. 294:R1004-14.
|
Progress 11/15/08 to 11/14/09
Outputs
The three NNF doctoral student fellows recruited to this program, D. Andrew Baltzegar, Scott A. Salger, and Valerie N. Williams made excellent progress in their coursework and research. All fellows have completed their proscribed courses in Aquaculture, Aquaculture Laboratory, and Fish Health Management plus two semesters of Aquaculture Journal Club and their Laboratory Rotations (rotations terminate 31 December 2009 and credit for the rotations will be given in Fall 2010). For the new Fish Health Management course, the fellows completed an in-service training course on the subject that is offered by the NCSU College of Veterinary Medicine to practicing veterinarians, and they also completed the class project of developing a Fish Health Management operations manual for the new Aquatic Research Laboratory of our College of Agriculture and Life Sciences that is under construction on main campus. The fellows designed the Aquaculture Journal Club course de novo, and did an excellent job, engaging several non-fellows in the course as well. The focus of the course was research at the interface of fish growth, health and reproduction, the research areas of the three PIs (Drs. Sullivan, Borski and Noga) acting as major professors for the fellows. In their Laboratory Rotations Course, the fellows engaged several undergraduates in research and have manuscripts and dissertation chapters in preparation from the experience. Details on progress in the specific research projects are given in the fellow's annual updates (CSREES form-2010) sent to the NNF Program Office. In addition, all fellows completed several courses in their chosen minor curriculum (Genomic Sciences or Biotechnology) as well as several hours of Dissertation Research. PRODUCTS: Baltzegar, D.A., Salger, S.A., and V.N. Williams. 2009. A Fish Health Manual for the NCSU Grinnells Aquatic Research Laboratory. Department of Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh. 50 pp. Additional technical products of research are detailed in the fellow's annual updates (CSREES form-2010) sent to the NNF Program Office. OUTCOMES: By virtue of their shared experiences in a rigourous multi-disciplinary program, the NNF fellows form a cohesive group that brings leadership and value to our student body. Empowering them to play an active role in design of the new "Aquaculture Genomics" courses engaged non-fellows, including undergraduates, in these courses and research activities, and has delivered new courses (Fish Health management, Aquaculture Journal Club) and products (e.g. a Fish Health Manual) of benefit to the entire NCSU aquaculture community. We have learned that establishing an NNF training program clearly has the potential to have far reaching benefits if the fellows are empowered to play a lead role in the process. Additionally, through their participation in Laboratory Rotation the fellows have learned teamwork and team building skills and have become research collaborators, each of whom brings unique strengths and experiences to the research enterprise. Their collaboration empowers the research of all. Another obvious outcome is the professional development of the fellows in knowledge of their discipline and in the scientific enterprise, including experimental design and execution. As before, the main outcome of this project during this period is successful progress in reaching the major goal of the project, to train a new generation of scientists capable of bringing the promise of genomic sciences to bear on improving US aquaculture. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The NNF training program has been featured on the NCSU Department of Biology homepage and on the homepage of the National Aquaculture Genome Project (NRSP-8). The fellows also have prepared individual webpages which will be posted to the NCSU Department of Biology homepage shortly. In addition, the existence and progress of the USDA NNF training program in Aquaculture Genomics was broadly disseminated to stakeholders in the US aquaculture industry through interaction of the PIs and fellows with these stakeholders during the conduct of research and in platform presentations given by the PIs at the following state, national and international scientific meetings and symposia: "Genomic enablement of aquaculture: Graduate Research, education and raining," by R.J. Borski, C.V. Sullivan and E.M. Noga, 2009. 1st International Symposium on Aquaculture and Fisheries Education (ISAFE), November 2009, Bangkok, Thailand. "Selective breeding and genomics research: Striped bass species report," by Sullivan, C.V. (given by Rexroad III, C.). 2009. Aquaculture Genomics Workshop at the International Plant and Animal Genome Conference, Plant and Animal Genome XVII Conference, January 2009, San Diego, CA. "Claudin mRNA expression in Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) gill tissue: implications for osmoregulation and salinity adaptation" by Baltzegar, D.A., Ozden, O., and R.J. Borski. 2009. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology 2009 Annual Meeting, Jan 3-7, 2009. Boston, Massachusetts "Aquaculture research at North Carolina State University," by Daniels, H.V., Borski, R.J., Hinshaw, J.M., Losordo, T.M., and C.V. Sullivan. 2009. North Carolina Aquaculture Development Conference, 30-31 January 2009, Atlantic Beach, NC. "Selective breeding for the hybrid striped bass industry," by Fuller, S.A. and C.V. Sullivan. 2009. Annual Meeting of the Striped Bass Growers Association at Aquaculture America 2009, Annual Meeting of the U.S. Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society, February 15-18, 2009, Seattle, WA. FUTURE INITIATIVES: During the next reporting period, it is expected that the NNF fellows will have completed all of their coursework (except Dissertation Research and perhaps1-2 courses in the minor). The fellows already have developed their Graduate Plan of Work and have chosen their Graduate Supervisory Committee members and Chair. In the next period, it is expected that their Graduate Supervisory Committees will have approved the Dissertation Research proposal. Additionally, the fellows are expected to complete their general examination for admission to Ph.D. candidacy. Finally, it is expected that the PIs will develop a plan for continuation of the Aquaculture Genomics training program as a regular area of specialty of graduate research in the Biology Department at NCSU and will have submitted a follow on proposal to the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program to support this initiative.
Impacts
The major impact of the program has been the education of members of a new generation of scientists trained in application of genomic sciences to aquaculture research and development. All fellows are early in their graduate research programs but results of their research are already finding their way into national and international meeting proceedings and the primary scientific literature. Details on research progress are given in the fellow's annual updates. The fellow's academic curriculum has involved developing new courses that have served other graduate students and enriched our curriculum in the NCSU Department of Biology. Additionally, all fellows have extended the benefit of the NNF program by engaging undergraduate students in their research.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
Progress 11/15/07 to 11/14/08
Outputs
The third doctoral student, Scott A. Salger, was recruited to the program in Summer 2008 based on his academic transcripts, GRE scores, letters from referees, and prior achievements. The appointment form (CSREES Form 2010) for Mr. Salger has been sent to the NNF Program Office. All three fellows have undertaken their laboratory rotations and proscribed coursework. Details on the specific coursework are given below. Two of the fellows (Baltzegar and Williams) already have manuscripts published, submitted or in draft from research done while on lab rotation. Laboratory rotations (ZO 831) will be completed in Fall of 2009. All fellows were enrolled in Aquaculture (ZO586) and Aquaculture Laboratory (ZO587) as of Fall of 2008. As the course Fish Health management (VMS695) is no longer available, a new Fish Health Management course (ZO824S) was developed and offered to the fellows in Fall 2008. Details on this course will follow in the next report. The three USDA NNF fellows designed a new course, Aquaculture Journal Club (ZO631), which will first be offered in Spring 2009. Details will follow in the next report. All three fellows also have identified a primary mentor to act as Chair of their supervisory committee and all have initiated doctoral dissertation research. Andrew Baltzegar is researching the involvement of tight junctional proteins (claudins) in regulation of gill epithelial permeability (osmoregulation) in the Nile tilapia under the direction of Dr. Borski. Scott Salger is investigating the function of antimicrobial peptides (e.g. piscidins) in innate immunity in the striped bass and its relatives under the direction of Dr. Noga. Valerie Wiiliams is testing the hypothesis that disruption of the production and processing of multiple yolk precursors (vitellogenins) is a major cause of poor egg quality in striped bass and other farmed fishes under the direction of Dr. Sullivan. PRODUCTS: A new Fish Health management course (ZO 824S) was developed and offered to the fellows and will become a regular offering available annually to all graduate students in the Fall of 2009. An additional product of the Fish Health Management Course was the development by the USDA NNF fellows of a detailed 50 page Fish Health Management Plan for the new Aquatic Research Center on the NCSU campus. A new Aquaculture Journal Club course (ZO631) was designed by the USDA NNF fellows and is presently being taken by the fellows and three additional graduate students in the NCSU Department of Biology. We anticipate that this course will become a regular offering. While participating in the laboratory Rotation (ZO831) course, the NNF fellows contributed substantially to ongoing research in the PIs laboratories to the extent that one fellow (Baltzegar) is second co-first author on the paper indicated above and he and another fellow (Williams) are authors on the following two manuscripts in prepeparation: D.A. Baltzegar, O. Ozden, and R. J. Borski. (2009) Claudin localization and mRNA quantification in the Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). In preparation. Williams, V.N., Reading, B.J., Hiramatsu, N., Sawaguchi, S., Amano,. H., Matsubara, T., Hara, A., and Sullivan, C.V. In preparation. Immuno-biochemical and Molecular Biological Analyses of Multiple Yolk Precursors, Vitellogenins, in Xenotoca eiseni, a Viviparous Goodied fish. In preparation. All fellows have identified PIs to chair their Graduate Supervisory Committee and have initiated doctoral dissertation research and generated data and information to be included in the doctoral dissertation. OUTCOMES: The outcomes of the project are stated above in terms of NCSU Aquaculture Genomics curriculum development, USDA NNF fellow and other student training, conduct of dissertation and other research in aquaculture genomics, and publication of research products. During the period covered by this report (including Fall semester 2007 and Spring semester 2008) the USDA NNF fellows completed the following courses specified in their Aquaculture Genomics curriculum: Baltzegar Fish Physiology (ZO515), Macromolecular Structure (BCH701), Professionalism and Ethics (GN850), Experimental Statistics II (ST512), Cell & Developmental Genetics (GN702), Dissertation Research (ZO895); Salger, Dissertation Research; Williams, Fish Physiology, Comparative Endocrinology (ZO524), Real-time PCR (BIT565), Dissertation Research, Seminar (ZO601). The cumulative grade point average of all three fellows in this coursework is a perfect 4.0. Thus the fellows recruited have received excellent training in Aquaculture Genomics during this time and they all have performed outstandingly well in the classroom and laboratory. The main outcome of this project during this period is successful progress in reaching the major goal of the project, to train a new generation of scientists capable of bringing the promise of genomic sciences to bear on improving US aquaculture. DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The establishment of the new inter-disciplinary program of graduate education and research in Aquaculture Genomics in the Biology Department at NCSU with support from the USDA-CSREES Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program was announced by the PI in platform talks at the following meetings along with an update on the research and training activities of the NNF fellows: The International Conference on the Status of Plant and Animal Genome Research, Jan 12-16, 2008, San Diego, CA Aquaculture America 2008 - The Annual Conference and Exposition of the US Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society, Feb 9-12, 2008, Lake Buena Vista, FL Breeding Program North Carolina Aquaculture Development Conference: Jan 18-19, 2008, Atlantic Beach, NC The USDA NNF training program also was announced and on the NCSU Department of Biology homepage and on the homepage of the National Aquaculture Genome Project (NRSP-8). In addition, the existence and progress of the USDA NNF training program in Aquaculture Genomics was broadly disseminated to stakeholders in the US aquaculture industry through interaction of the PIs and fellows with these stakeholders during the conduct of research and at the conferences noted above. FUTURE INITIATIVES: During the next reporting period, it is expected that USDA fellows will have completed at least 9 additional hours of coursework including Fish Health management (3 hr) and Aquaculture Journal club (1 hr). It is expected that the fellows will have fully formed their Graduate Supervisory Committee and will have submitted their Graduate Plan of Work for approval by the Committee and by the NCSU Graduate School. It is further anticipated that the fellows will have completed a draft Dissertation Research Outline for approval by the Chair of their Supervisory Committee and will have met with the Supervisory Committee in at least one formal meeting, during which time they will present the results of their research to date. It also is expected that the fellows will have completed or will be engaged in completing their Laboratory Rotation with the PIs. Finally, it is expected that the PIs will develop a plan for continuation of the Aquaculture Genomics training program as a regular area of specialty of graduate research in the Biology Department at NCSU.
Impacts
The U.S. aquaculture industry faces many obstacles in meeting the demand for farmed seafood in the face of aggressive competition from imported wild and farmed fishes and the current economic downturn, which especially impacts consumption of seafood in restaurant markets, one of the main outlets for seafood in this country. These challenges can only be met if production efficiency is improved so that seafood can be produced more cheaply at a profit, which requires betterment of growth, feed efficiency and disease resistance in farmed fish. Such improvement will require a new generation of scientists trained in application of genomic sciences to aquaculture research and development in order to develop new technologies that improve production efficiency. This project has contributed to the training of this next generation of scientists in Aquaculture genomics through the education of the USDA NNF fellows, via the establishment of courses and curricula available to the fellows and other graduate students, and through the dissemination of information on the graduate program in Aquaculture genomics at NCSU.
Publications
- Tipsmark, C. K., D. A. Baltzegar, O. Ozden, B. J. Grubb, and R. J. Borski. (2008) Salinity regulates claudin mRNA and protein expression in the teleost gill. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 294:R1004-14.
|
Progress 11/15/06 to 11/14/07
Outputs
A new inter-disciplinary program of graduate education and research in Aquaculture Genomics was established in the Zoology Department at North Carolina State University (NCSU) with support from the USDA-CSREES Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program. The program seeks to deliver scientists broadly skilled in applying genomics to problems in fish breeding, growth and health management researched by the core faculty. Multidisciplinary training of the NNF fellows will involve their completion of a core curriculum (24 credit hours) in Aquaculture Genomics that includes proscribed courses in Aquaculture, Fish Physiology, Experimental Statistics, Molecular & Cell Biology, Fish Health, Journal Club, and Laboratory Rotation, plus a minor curriculum (11-18 credit hours) in Genomic Sciences, Biotechnology or Physiology. The dissertation research of the NNF fellows will be conducted in the laboratories of the core
faculty, at on-campus aquatics research facilities and aquaculture field laboratories, and in the new NCSU Genome Research Laboratory and associated Proteomics and Metabolomics Laboratory. Support of the dissertation research of the fellows will be leveraged in the form of grant support obtained by the core faculty from diverse sources including the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the N.C. and National Sea Grant Programs, the USDA-CSREES, and the aquaculture industry itself. The research will be conducted in collaboration with aquaculture producers, which will enable the fellows to develop a deep understanding of the practical needs of industry.
PRODUCTS: A broad net cast to recruit NNF fellows involved advertisements placed on the websites of related NCSU programs (e.g. Genomic Sciences) and relevant scientific societies and organizations (e.g. Aquaculture Network Information Center, National Aquaculture Genome Project, World Aquaculture Society, American Fisheries Society), advertisements in trade journals (e.g. Aquaculture Magazine), direct mailings of posters to life sciences departments at other major U.S. universities, announcement of the program at scientific meetings attended by the core faculty, and special distribution of flyers by the NCSU Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) Program to institutions specially engaged in the education of students from uderrepresented groups seeking advanced professional training in science and technology.
OUTCOMES: Two NNF fellows, Adrew Baltzegar, Msc., and Valerie Williams, B.Sc., were recruited to the program based on their academic transcripts, GRE scores, letters from referees, and prior achievements and both have initiated their laboratory rotations and proscribed coursework. Appointment Forms (CSREES Form 2010) for the Fellows were submitted to the NNF Program Office. Fellow Andrew Baltzegar has declared his major in Zoology and Minor in Functional Genomics and is currently taking classwork toward these objectives and participating in the proscribed Laboratory Rotation. Fellow Valerie Williams has declared the Major in Zoology and Minor in Biotechnology and is taking requisite classes and participating in Laboratory Rotation. The activities described above provided for the recruitment of and classroom and research training experiences for 2 new NNF fellows in our NCSU Aquaculture genomics program.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The project has served the two new NNF Aquaculture Genomics Fellows by educating them via formal classroom instruction (e.g. both Fellows will complete the graduate course in Fish Physiology taught by the PI this semester), research experiences acquired on laboratory rotation, and knowledge gained from participation in the Zoology Department Seminar Series, which is mandatory for all incoming graduate students. While on Laboratory Rotation, these Fellows are, in turn, working with several undergraduate student research assistants and imparting their advanced knowledge of scientific methodology to these students. The PI (C.V. Sullivan) attended the Food and Agricultural Sciences NNF Grants Program and Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program Project Directors' and Beneficiaries Meeting (16-17 October, 2007; Washington., DC), presented a poster there on the establishment of the Aquaculture Genomics NNF Program at NCSU and on the recruitment of NNF
Fellows, and networked with the NNF Program staff and other meeting participants on NNF programs and the general subject of graduate education. Finally, the USDA/CSREES NNF Program received broad exposure through the advertisements to recruit Fellows for the NCSU Aquaculture Genomics NNF Program, which have been distributed by N.C. Sea Grant, the National Sea Grant Office, the NCSU Genomic Sciences Program, the Aquaculture Network Information Center, the National Aquaculture Genome Project, the World Aquaculture Society, the American Fisheries Society, and the NCSU AGEP Program, the Fish Health Section of the American Fisheries Society, the International Association of Aquatic Animal Medicine, the International Society of Developmental and Comparative Immunology, and the Association of Veterinary Immunologists.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: An advertisement/recruitment effort was launched to recruit a third fellow for entry into the program in January 2008. Once all three Fellows have matriculated, the Aquaculture Genomics Journal Club will be established and, pending completion of Laboratory Rotations by all three Fellows, the individual Fellows will choose a Faculty Mentor (Project PI or Co-PI), who will serve as Chair of their Graduate Supervisory Committee, submit a Plan of Work to the Graqduate School, and begin dissertation research. ONce graduate research has progressed to a reportable stage, we hope to have all three Fellows present their research together at the INternational Plant and Animal Genome Conference or other suitable scientific meeting in order to highlight the acheivements of our NNF Program.
Impacts
More than half of the fish and shellfish consumed by adults of the next generation will be farmed and the U.S. aquaculture industry faces many challenges as it grows rapidly to meet the demand for farmed seafood. Improving feed efficiency, maximizing growth rates, and controlling disease are typical challenges that must be met. The application of genomic science to production of aquatic livestock is expected to result in new technologies for meeting these challenges and there is an emerging national need for scientists trained in the application of genomic science to aquaculture. Therefore, by contributing to the training of a new generation of scientists expert at applying genomics to problems in aquaculture research and development we are serving the N.C. and U.S. aquaculture industries, which largely operate in rural, economically underdeveloped areas of the country, researchers and students in the aquaculture sciences, consumers of farmed seafood products, and the
general public, which is economically impacted by the enormous U.S. trade deficit in seafood products.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
|
|