Weekly Update
Keeping you informed of upcoming opportunities and events
~ From the team at Alaska INBRE ~
January 4, 2021
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CLICK HERE
for Events and Deadlines of interest to our Alaska INBRE Community
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Latest Information on COVID-19
- Click here for University of Alaska coronavirus information and FAQs. Includes links to all three campuses - UAA, UAF, UAS.
- Click here for Alaska Coronavirus Response Hub (updated at noon daily)
- Click here for information about the disease, prevention and travel advisories from the US Centers for Disease Control Prevention.
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Alaska INBRE
AWARD MECHANISMS
Funding Announcements
& Deadlines
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SPOTLIGHT ON MOLLY GARNER
by Jynene Black | Alaska INBRE Reporting & Outreach Coordinator
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INBRE
Tell us a little something about yourself.
Molly
I grew up on the edge of the Lake District National Park in Northern England. I used to say our house was in the middle of nowhere... then I moved to Alaska. Living in Alaska has provided me with so many avenues to spend more time outdoors, plus bigger landscapes, fewer people, and more wildlife than the UK! I spend most weekends camping and hiking with my fiancé and our two rescue dogs in the summer. Coming from England (even the “snowiest” part), winter sports weren’t a thing, but last year I got into snowshoeing, and this year I’m hoping to learn to ski. When not outside or working, I spend 90% of my time baking. The past couple of months, I’ve been completing challenges from each week of the Great British Baking Show in an attempt to broaden my range of skills and push myself outside of my comfort zone. I’ve also gotten into food photography as a way to document those bakes.
INBRE
When did you know you wanted to be a scientist?
Molly
I was very fortunate to grow up in a very science-oriented family, so I honestly can’t remember when I didn’t want to do something biology-related. Growing up with two ecologists for parents, my family holidays were spent bird watching, butterfly catching, and frog finding. From the time I knew what a job was up until around 16, I was focused on becoming a vet, spending my weekend volunteering at local farms to help with lambing. After volunteering at a local animal park, my interests shifted, and I began looking into zoology degrees as an avenue to working with animals across the globe.
INBRE
What is your current research? Why are you interested in this field of study?
Molly
My current research investigates the effects of low-temperature acclimation and anoxia exposure on the electro-mechanical coupling of the red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta) heart. We’re particularly interested in T. scripta as populations at northern latitudes survive for up to 5 weeks in ice-covered water bodies without access to oxygen, making the experimental conditions part of their natural environment. Our overall objective is to address the paradigm shift that changes in contractility and electrical activity with oxygen deprivation, deemed harmful in mammals, may facilitate anoxia survival in T. scripta. I’ve conducted in vitro experiments to look at the effects of low-temperature acclimation in normoxia and anoxia exposure at warm and cold temperatures and have on electro-mechanical coupling turtle heart varying extracellular conditions that accompany anoxia exposure. Before the pandemic hit, I also completed a series of in vivo electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings to investigate the effects of low temperature and/or anoxia on turtle cardiac electrical activity. Having discovered an interest in physiology later in my undergraduate degree through macrophysiology fieldwork, I wanted to gain more laboratory experience at the microphysiology scale during graduate research. All of my past research interests, though varied, have focused on organismal responses to stress, and I had an interest in delving deeper into the tissue level response.
INBRE
You work with Dr. Jonathan Stecyk at UAA. How did you get connected to his lab?
Molly
As part of my undergraduate degree, I conducted a yearlong behavioral study on the Alaska Zoo wolf pack. One thing I learned at that time was that animal behavior wasn’t the field for me. Coming into my final year of undergrad, I was at a bit of a loss regarding my direction. For my undergraduate thesis, I had organized working on a project looking at feral horse hormones, more because I’m a lifelong equestrian than anything else. But I found that I enjoyed the quantitative nature of physiological research. During my final semester climate change course, one of our physiology lecturers, Dr. Holly Shiels, mentioned many University of Alaska associated projects. Knowing I wanted to come back to America, preferably Alaska, to complete the graduate studies, I sent her an email asking if she still had any contacts. She put me in touch with Dr. Stecyk.
INBRE
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Molly
I see myself in the field, studying an aspect of conservation physiology. Given current importance, I’d be particularly interested in looking at the potential effects of climate change on animal physiology and what it might mean for wildlife populations. I’m still unsure whether I want to go down the academic route. You can probably tell how my research fields have jumped around that long-term career planning might not be my strong point. My short-term plan is to take some field tech positions after finishing my degree before deciding whether I want to go into a Ph.D.
INBRE
Can you tell me how INBRE has impacted you?
Molly
With an ecological background, biomedicine was somewhat intimidating, and I was admittedly nervous about attending the 2019 INBRE retreat, as my first non-wildlife conference. However, what that retreat highlighted for me was how much research within the state bridges the gap between ecological and biomedical science. INBRE has helped me find a way to connect my zoological interests with public health, and it’s something I look forward to exploring further.
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NCGR Bioinformatics Intensives
January, February & March 2021
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WHEN
January 19-29 (9 days 10% off pricing)
February 16-26 (9 days 10% off pricing)
March 15-26 (10 days - tentative)
OBJECTIVE: Learn how to use the UNIX command line interface, analytical workflows and public tools to independently analyze RNA-Seq data and conduct 16S community profiling, whole genome metagenomics, and metatranscriptomics analysis.
WHO ATTENDS: Primarily biology students and researchers who want to learn bioinformatics.
WHERE: Online by the National Center for Genome Resources (NCGR), Santa Fe, NM
APPLY: Complete a short application form, review the prerequisites and submit your CV. Students must also submit a letter of recommendation from their advisor or PI.
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January is
National Mentoring Month!
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Please join us as we celebrate mentorship across the nation. To participate use #NationalMentoringMonth on your social media accounts when you share a photo, quote, sentiment or whatever you would like. Let's ring in the new year and celebrate the power of mentorship during the month of January.
For more information, please visit our website: https://nrmnet.net/
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One Health: A Ten Thousand Year-Old View into the Future
The University of Alaska Fairbanks has partnered with EdX to offer self-paced courses FREE online, available until May 2021.
One Health: A Ten Thousand Year-Old View into the Future was designed by the Center for One Health Research as an introductory course to One Health in the Circumpolar North. Explore the connectedness of people, animals, and the environment through this unique approach to One Health that connects traditional ways of knowing with the natural and social sciences. Combine Western and Indigenous knowledge to form a holistic understanding of the future.
Enrollment begins January 4, 2021 by visiting https://www.edx.org/course/one-health
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Online
SEMINARS
&
WEBINARS
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TRiM FRIDAY JOURNAL CLUB - Fridays @ 12-1 PM via Zoom Please join Transformative Research in Metabolism (TRiM) to discuss peer-reviewed literature in metabolomics and hibernation research.
Jan 8 - TRiM Internal Steering Committee Meeting. All are welcome to attend. Contact Carl Murphy cjmurphy4@alaska.edu for this week's meeting packet.
Jan 15 - Donna Johnson, Pinnacle Technologies - The Entrepreneur Experience
IAB LIFE SCIENCE HOUR SEMINAR SERIES - Fridays @ 1pm beginning January 29, 2021
Beginning in 1966 and continuing today, UAF's Institute of Arctic Biology hosts a weekly seminar for faculty, students, staff and the public during the academic year. The series attracts life scientists from Alaska and around the world. If you wish to meet with a particular speaker, please contact one of the seminar coordinators, Diane O'Brien and Shawn Crimmins, or the IAB director's office at 907-474-7649. Please visit the Life Science series page for more information, and to listen to previously recorded seminars. Please note the time change to 1pm Alaska Time in order to accommodate speakers outside of Alaska.
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ALASKA INBRE AWARD OPPORTUNITIES: see above
NIH SBIR & STTR FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: Funding Opportunity Announcements for NIH SBIR & STTR Omnibus and topic-specific funding are available here.
COLLABORATIVE SEQUENCING/ BIOINFORMATICS PILOT AWARDS: The NM-INBRE Sequencing and Bioinformatics Core (SBC) invites you to apply for a pilot project award valued at approximately $5,000 to $10,000 to drive your research, publications and grants! Requires co-contribution from non-NM-INBRE Investigators. Proposal deadline: 2nd Sunday of each month by 11:59 pm. Details and how to apply here.
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Career
Development
Opportunities
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UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO UNDERGRADUATE PIPELINE NETWORK SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM: The application deadline is Feb 1, 2021. To learn more and apply, please visit goto.unm.edu/upn
2021 ARCTIC FRONTIERS BUILDING BRIDGES - Virtual format - Call for abstracts
Feb 1-4, 2021 Tomso, Norway The call for abstracts is now open. www.arcticfrontiers.com or contact Arleigh Reynolds
11TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CHEMISTRY via Webinar
Feb 22-23, 2021 Abstracts welcome. For conference details, click here.
AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY SPRING 2021 CONFERENCE - virtual
April 5-16, 2021. Additional information is available on the FAQ page.
ONE HEALTH, ONE FUTURE CONFERENCE
April 6-11, 2021 UAF Center for One Health Research invites you to one of the largest US conferences on One Health, focused on the Circumpolar North. Register now at the Conference Website.
EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY 2021 - virtual
April 27-30, 2021 Be sure to save the date and check the website for the latest information.
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Articles of Interest
NIH Extramural Nexus
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Please Share!
Publications, News Articles, Announcements, and Photos!
Pilot Faculty, Undergraduate, and Graduate Research Assistants: Please send your news, publications, post-doc announcements, and photos, we would like to share. Thank you in advance for your help!
Please send to:
ua-akinbre@alaska.edu
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