Overview: Global temperatures estimated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are expected to rise by 1.8-4.0 °C over the next 100 years and reef building corals are particularly susceptible to these temperature changes. One of the most characterized outcomes of heat stress on corals is episodic coral bleaching. There are however, populations of corals that are able to withstand higher water temperatures without bleaching. The corals found off of the island of Ofu, American Samoa are an example. One of the biggest research gaps has been the lack of knowledge of genetic mechanisms that indicate the ability of a particular coral to resist stress. By studying the mechanisms of the resilience patterns that are observed in the natural environment, the fellow plans to lay down the foundation for future work in developing a coral stress biomarker. The tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) is a good candidate for this biomarker. It is a central mediator of apoptosis and innate immunity pathways. The hypothesis driving this research is that amplification of signaling occurs through transcriptional control of TNFR during heat stress, and that individuals with environmentally induced higher overall expression levels display better ability to acclimate to a changing environment. To test this hypothesis, the fellow will work with Stephen R. Palumbi, PhD at Stanford University.
Intellectual Merits: Coral reefs are one of the most diverse and economically rich ecosystems on the planet. The effects of large-scale oceanic processes and climate change will determine how coral reefs are sculpted, thereby effecting fisheries, ocean biodiversity and ultimately global economies. By investigating the ability of coral reefs to adapt or acclimate to these changes, we may be able to better predict which corals may survive climate change, leading to improved conservation. If cell and genomic research can make connections between the ocean environment and individual survival and fitness then there is a better chance of identifying management options for improving coral reefs. This research represents a cross-disciplinary approach to span the disconnect between what is observed in the environment and what is happening in the organism at a cellular level.
Broader Impacts: 1. Broadening the participation of minorities from the United States in science: The fellow is a young, African American, woman researcher, and currently mentoring an exceptional minority student that is part of the National Minority STEM fellowship program at Stanford. The fellow plans to get involved with the minority recruitment and mentorship opportunities that are available through Stanford and has received approval from the Director of Hopkins Marine Station to have several minority high school students from the neighboring Seaside High School work with the fellow on this project. 2.Inclusion of the American Samoan Community: The fellow will work in American Samoa and the project includes collaboration and assistance of members of the local community and of the National Park. Outreach to students of Olosega Elementary School are also planned. 3.Involvement of the scientific community and broad dissemination of research: The Palumbi lab has a long, well-established collaboration with the cell biologist, John R. Pringle, PhD at the Stanford Medical School. The fellow will collaborate with Dr. Pringle for much of this project. The fellow plans to broadly disseminate research results through publications and presentations at conferences, and data will be publicly available. Lastly, the Palumbi lab is well equipped to distribute research to broad audiences by using social media networking, databases and local community outreach. The fellow plans to incorporate the research findings into these resources, as a way to reach broader audiences.
