Research
background: When we look at the adaptation of living organisms to their
environments we se the results of natural selection, but we can not tell how
these adaptations came about. The
explosive growth of sequence data form the genomes of various organisms, and the
availability of ‘gene chips’ allowing simultaneous analysis of an entire
complement of genes, provide unparalleled opportunities to unveil the steps that
evolution has taken. Despite its stature as the premiere evolution group in
Canada, and one of the best on the continent, the evolutionary biology group at
UBC has not had a biologist focusing on uncovering the genetic alterations
responsible for evolutionary change. This
is a burgeoning area; these investigators are now beginning to provide
functional explanations that guide work in other areas of biology. We seek a
researcher who can promote linkage between the evolution group and developmental
biologists. In particular UBC researchers are finding ecologically and
evolutionarily important differences in fish morphology (McPhail, Schluter,
Taylor in Zoology), the growth and wood quality of different tree species (Aitken
and Ritland, Forest Sciences) and mode of reproduction in plants and fungi (Whitton
and Berbee, Botany). Understanding the genetic differences behind phenotypic
shifts has become a very important and is an area that this department is well
situated to develop. This position is designed to complement position 6
described above.
The
sort of person we envision is exemplified by Dr. Caroline Peichel, currently a
post-doc in developmental biology at Stanford, who has developed extensive
molecular genetic analysis in sticklebacks, the experimental organism uses very
effectively in evolutionary studies my McPhail, Schluter and Taylor in the UBC
Zoology evolution group. She has carried out extensive sequencing and library
studies and has identified 500 genes, including structural components of bone
and cartilage, ligands and receptors from major signaling pathways that control
embryonic patterning (BMPs, Wnts, Hedgehogs), major transcription factor
families (Hos complexes, pbx, steroid hormone receptors), and genes involved in
pigment and melanocyte development. Developmental studies on zebrafish, the
model teolost would also be very relevant. This position would interact strongly
with developmental and cell biologists in a variety of departments (e.g. Moerman
and Brock in Zoology, the Biotechnology Laboratory, the UBC Cell Signaling
group).
Substantial
start-up funding is needed (>100K$). Space would need to be provided in the
central core of the Biological Sciences building after completion of the new
Biotechnology building is completed.
It
was only to year ago that the human population started to have a greater impact
in causing environmental change than other factors such as volcanic activity.
Now environmental change, occurring at increasing rates, is dominated by the
actions of humans. Because the
majority of humans live close to rivers or oceans, estuaries and coastal regions
are the major sites of human impact on aquatic sytems.
These regions have become eutrophic, hypoxic or even anoxic resulting in
marked reduction in biomass and biodiversity. An appointment in environmental
physiology investigating the functional relationship or organisms to their
environment is central to understanding how environmental change will affect
biological communities. Understanding how individual organisms respond to
extreme conditions not only gives insight into the capacity of animals to
respond to these changing conditions, but also develops a database to aid in
predicting the effects of environmental change on populations.
This information is central to the development of all forms of
aquaculture. A world-class aquatic facility is available at the West Vancouver
Laboratory, and additional facilities are available at Bamfield
Marine Station
The Zoology Department at UBC was a world leader in this field. The group requires rebuilding and replacement of senior people with young people working in new and exciting areas.