Personal Statement I have had the privilege of being mentored by ...

Research statementMy first undergraduate research experience was in Dr. Rosanna Giordano’s laboratory, where weexamined the parthenogenetic effect of endoparasitic bacteria in the genus Wolbachia onspringtails (Collembola: Folsomia candida). Wolbachia infects up to 75% of all arthropods andtargets reproductive tissues, manipulating reproductive strategies. Infection with Wolbachia cankill embryonic males, and cause feminization and parthenogenesis [1]. I aided in demonstratingthat Wolbachia infection was the cause of parthenogenesis in springtails. I helped determinewhich antibiotic treatments would be most effective to eliminate gram-negative Wolbachia in thespringtails, and which antibiotics would serve as good controls in replicate springtailpopulations. I developed the protocol for making a food containing equal active portions ofantibiotics. As predicted, the antibiotic treatments targeting gram-negative bacteria virtuallyeliminated parthenogenetic reproduction (unpublished data).As an undergraduate I also had the opportunity to become a field assistant to EllenMartinsen, a graduate student in Dr. Joseph Schall’s laboratory. Our research on avian malarialparasites became the foundation for my fascination with parasitology. Malarial parasites areprotozoans transmitted between hosts by biting insect vectors. The parasite undergoes sexualreproduction in the vector, and asexual reproduction in the host. Parasites are visible in the hostblood by light microscopy, and traditionally it has been through light microscopy that they areidentified. There are three genera of malarial parasites that infect birds: Leucocytozoon,Haemoproteus, and Plasmodium. Ellen and I sampled more than 150 bird species, which Iquickly learned to identify by sight and call. For two summers we woke up before dawn,sampled sites all over Vermont using playback tapes to call birds into our mistnets, made bloodsmears from the hosts we sampled, and spent afternoons in the lab analyzing our data.My work focused on the diversity of the genus Plasmodium in birds of Vermont. Icombined traditional identification techniques (morphological characters examined by lightmicroscopy) with molecular techniques (gene sequencing through PCR) to determine iftraditional methods of parasite identification to subgenus are consistent with their placement on amolecular phylogenetic tree. Avian Plasmodium is currently divided into five subgenera bymorphological characteristics [2], and so a maximum of five monophyletic clades consistent withmorphological identification could be expected. I used only heavy infections with replicates ofall life stages of the parasite present in the blood smear for morphological identifications. I alsoconstructed a consensus molecular phylogeny using parsimony, maximum likelihood, andBaysian methods. I discovered that traditional methods of identification frequently result inconfusion between two subgenera. I identified consistent morphological characters for correctidentification of the other three subgenera that showed monophyletic clades [3]. Part of this workwas funded by competitive grants I was awarded: URECA! (Undergraduate Research EndeavorsCompetitive Awards) and HELiX (Hughes Endeavor for Life Science Excellence). I havepresented this work formally*. Ellen has gone on to sequence another mitochondrial gene toreinforce already strong phylogenetic support, and has added additional samples from sourcesoutside of Vermont to improve phylogenetic resolution, which are included in our publication[3]. This work has implications for identifying the adaptive significance of particularmorphological and life history traits of the parasites. Parasite identification is critical in humanmedicine and veterinary fields for diagnoses and treatments. In research, identification is thebasis for addressing patterns of transmission and determining host specificity.I wanted to become more expert in molecular biology methods prior to entering graduate

school, as I had enjoyed this work in the Schall lab. Thus, I took the position of researchtechnologist in the lab of Dr. Jay Storz at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and used a geneticbasedapproach to explore the adaptive evolution of deer mice to high altitudes. We studied theiralpha globin genes, which code for two subunits of the hemoglobin protein complex that bindsoxygen in blood cells. These mice had adaptive genetic polymorphisms that caused hemoglobinto bind oxygen more strongly at high altitudes (where oxygen is more scarce) and less strongly atlow altitudes, and the patterns of these polymorphisms were similar among populations at similaraltitudes. I became skilled at molecular problem solving at the bench, tweaking PCRs andoptimizing cloning reactions. Additionally, I practiced sequence editing, phylogenetic treebuilding, and I learned how to use new software. I enjoyed working independently andconversing and collaborating with colleagues to help solve problems and discuss project ideas.Two papers resulted from my research. One suggests how the polymorphisms are maintained indeer mouse populations, and the second looks at genetic variation in house mice betweenaltitudes [4,5].To get my “parasitology fix” while working in the Storz lab, I began a journal club at UNLand read journal articles weekly with parasitology graduate students, with intellectualcontributions from Dr. John Janovy, a professor of parasitology. Working at UNL as a salariedfull time employee also allowed me to dedicate the majority of my vacation hours to taking athree-week intensive field course, in field parasitology, in Ogallala, NE. I learned much from Dr.Janovy about the diversity of parasites in nature. I also learned specimen preparation techniquesfor a wide array of taxa. Dr. Janovy’s talks, our research projects, and class questions readied mymind for studying parasites in graduate school.I feel my undergraduate research and work experiences have well equipped me to study avariety of parasites, ask theoretical questions, and use morphological and molecular tools. Mymost formative research experiences have dealt with species’ ecology and evolution, especiallyhost-parasite interactions. These experiences have allowed me to acquire a diverse array of toolsand techniques, and have encouraged my development as a scientist.Works Cited:[1] Stevens, L., R. Giordano, and R.F. Fialho. 2001. Male-killing, nematode infections,bacteriophage infection, and virulence of cytoplasmic bacteria in the genus Wolbachia. AnnualReview of Ecology and Systematics. 32:519-545.[2] Valkiunas, G. (2005). Avian Malaria Parasites and Other Haemosporidia. CRC Press, BocaRaton, Florida.My Publications:[3] Martinsen, E.M., J.L. Waite, and J.J. Schall. In Press. Morphologically defined subgenera ofPlasmodium from avian hosts: test of monophyly by phylogenetic analysis of two mitochondrialgenes. Parasitology.[4]Storz, J.F., J.L. Waite, M. Baze, and J.P. Hayes. (In preparation). Nucleotide variation inhemoglobin gene duplicates of high- and low-altitude house mice. (To be submitted to Genetics).[5]Storz, J.F. and J.L. Waite. (In preparation). Long-term balancing selection on the alphaglobingene duplicates of deer mice (genus Peromyscus): evidence from transpecificpolymorphism (To be submitted to Molecular Biology and Evolution).My Presentations:*Powerpoint presentation of HELiX funded summer research. UVM Fall 2004. “The Diversityof Avian Malaria Parasites of the Genus Plasmodium: Comparing Molecular and Morphological

Methods of Species Identification”*Powerpoint presentation of formal thesis defense, open lecture and closed discussion following.UVM Spring 2005. “The Diversity of Avian Malaria Parasites (Plasmodium) in Vermont”