PBEE has been uniquely fortunate in being awarded the first NIH Training Grant in the Population Biology of Infectious Disease from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. The training grant provides financial and research support for graduate student projects in the ecology and evolution of infectious disease. This continuing grant has supported five students in the program since 2004. Their research projects are described below.

PBEE students on grant

Karoun Bagamian
Period of appointment- 09/01/2004- 08/31/2007

Advisor: James Mills

Research statement:
This past year, I have been taking classes to gain a better understanding of disease (Immunology for immunology majors) and formulating my dissertation project. I have been working with Dr. James Mills at the Special Pathogens Branch of the Centers for Disease Control. Dr. Mills is my dissertation advisor, and I have been working in conjunction with him at the Medical Ecology Branch. I will soon begin my field season for my dissertation project on deer mice and Sin Nombre Virus. My field season begins next month and last until October of this year, and will entail building enclosures and monitoring survival and growth of the rodents in question. I will be testing some methods that are crucial to the experimental design of my dissertation project, in order to troubleshoot any procedural problems. I will also be testing a stored bank of Microtus (vole) blood to test for Prospect Hill antibodies.

Alaine Case Keebaugh
Period of appointment- 09/01/2004- 08/31/2006

Advisor: Jim Thomas

Summary of training and research:
HPRT is an enzyme involved in the purine salvage pathway and is highly conserved among vertebrates. HPRT1 is one of the best-characterized genes in the human genome, due to a combination of important properties including enzymatic function in the purine salvage pathway, its widespread use as a somatic cell genetic marker, and the clinical significance of HPRT1-deficiency in human disease. We have reported for the first time a systematic study of the evolution of the HPRT-gene family in vertebrates. In this study we used targeted comparative mapping and sequencing, in conjunction with database searches, to assemble a collection of 53 HPRT1 homologs from 28 vertebrate species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the HPRT-gene family expanded as a result of ancient vertebrate-specific duplications and is composed of three main gene groups: HPRT1, HPRTL, & PRTFDC1. While all members share a common intron-exon structure, each group was associated with distinct rates of evolution indicating potential divergence of function. Finally, we discovered an intriguing inactivation event specific to the mouse PRTFDC1 gene and hypothesize this loss of function event to be a candidate genetic difference that contributes to the phenotypic disparity between HPRT-deficient humans and mice. In summary, the HPRT -gene family has undergone continuous modification during vertebrate evolution and these modifications may be signatures of functional adaptations in the purine metabolic pathway.

Training has been received in the lab and classroom at Emory University

Publications:

• Alaine C. Keebaugh, Robert T. Sullivan, NISC Comparative Sequencing Program, and James W. Thomas. Gene duplication and inactivation in the vertebrate HPRT-gene family. Genomics. 2006 (In Press).

• Howard Hughes Teacher-Scholar. 09/2006 ~ 09/2007.

• Summer Institute in Statistical Genetics. University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. June 2006
• Workshop in Molecular Evolution. Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory. Woods Hole, Massachusetts. July 2005.

Beth Kochin
1st year student
Period of appointment- 09/01/2007- 08/31/2008

Neil Milan
Period of appointment- 09/01/2005- 08/31/2007

Advisor: Todd Schlenke

Research statement:
During the 2005-2006 school year (my first under the NIH training grant), I was able to complete two rotations and participate in two lunches to discuss ethics and mentorship in science. My first rotation was during the fall semester and under the mentorship of Dr. Les Real. The rotation took the form of guided reading and discussion about the dynamics of RNA viruses, particularly influenza. My second (and current rotation) started in January 2006 and has been under the mentorship of Dr. Collette Fitzgerald and Janet Pruckler in the Foodborne and Diarrheal Diseases Branch of the CDC. The rotation is providing me with practical laboratory experience with bacteria culturing, DNA sequencing, and phylogenies as I help build a 23S rDNA database on species of Campylobacter.

Serena Reeder
Period of appointment- 01/01/2005- 09/30/2005

Advisor: Les Real

Summary of training and research:
Courses included Molecular Ecology, Values in Science, and an advanced graduate seminar on Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution. In addition, I served as a Teaching Assistant for "Population Biology and Evolution of Disease," a course taught to both undergraduate and graduate students. Finally, I participated in a journal club focusing on current topics in the fields of evolution and ecology.

My research focused on the population genetics and phylogeography of raccoons in the southeastern United States. I have isolated DNA from more than 400 raccoons from Florida to Ohio and sequenced a portion of the mitochondrial control region in order to address several questions relating to population structure and how historical events have influenced the genetic distribution and frequency of haplotypes that we see today. In addition, my research is being utilized for studies involving the raccoon variant of rabies virus. Determining whether raccoon populations are genetically homogeneous or heterogeneous is important for understanding patterns of rabies spread. Furthermore, examining whether or not certain maternal lineages seem to be more "susceptible" to rabies virus infection can potentially be useful for prevention and control measures. Part of this research was discussed in an oral presentation at the Wildlife Disease Association International Conference in Cairns, Australia, in June of this year.

Publications:
None, but data generated during this time period will be used to write 2-3 manuscripts.

Grants/Awards:

• Wildlife Disease Association Travel Award, Summer 2005

Eleanore Sternberg
1st year student
Period of appointment- 09/01/2007- 08/31/2008