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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Atlanta, GA | Posted: April 1, 2011
Meghan Duffy (Assistant Professor, School of Biology) has received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). According to the NSF, "the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations."
The research supported by this award will focus on rapid evolution in host-parasite interactions and its effects on invasive species. As rates of parasitism increase and species invasions skyrocket, there are increasing numbers of outbreaks of disease that result from novel host-parasite pairings. How do hosts and parasites evolve in response to these new interactions? What are the consequences for ecological dynamics of native and invasive hosts? Duffyâs project uses interactions among a native bacterial parasite, a native zooplankton host, and an invasive zooplankton host that is now infected by the native bacterial parasite to ask how parasites adapt when they first enter a novel host. Existing genetic archives for both host and parasite provide a rare opportunity to study the important process of how pathogens that originate in one host species move to another; this host switch is usually very difficult to observe in nature. In addition, observational studies of lake populations, laboratory experiments and mathematical models will be used to understand how parasitism influences population dynamics of native and invasive hosts.
An important component of this project involves educating, training and diversifying the next generation of scientists. Duffy and her lab will work with science educators to develop hands-on, experiential learning activities for K-12 students in Atlanta, focusing on plankton and microbes. Informal science education activities aimed at the general public will also be developed, and will be used to engage visitors to Piedmont Park.
