This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2009 and is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow who also presents a plan to broaden participation in biology. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Anael Verdugo is "Construction of a new mathematical model for the p53 protein network." This research will be conducted at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University under the sponsorship of Dr. John Tyson, and the University of Oxford under the sponsorship of Dr. Bela Novak.
The p53 protein is one of the main guardians that protect us against mutations in our DNA. After years of research, biologists have uncovered some of the basic properties of the p53 protein. However, there is still much work to be done, especially in terms of understanding the p53 behavior from a mathematical viewpoint. This research will address the connections between the mathematical theory about regulation and the results of biological experiments. The outcome will be a new mathematical model to capture and predict p53 protein behavior that promises to better define experiments that remain to be conducted.
The training objectives for this research include learning techniques and theories in the fields of systems biology, molecular genetics, biochemistry, and cell biology. The newly acquired knowledge will enrich the scientific vision and repertoire of cross-disciplinary technical skills for the Fellow's career. The broader impacts include educational mentoring for undergraduates and graduate students. In addition, the Fellow will keep promoting and pushing for the advancement of underrepresented groups by participating in national minority conferences and advising future minority scientists.
