UNM Sevilleta REU Program- Summer 2019

SEVILLETA FIELD STATION REU SITES PROGRAM IN ARIDLAND ECOLOGY
UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO

The UNM Sevilleta Field Station is seeking applicants for Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU).  Application deadline is February 15, 2019.  We are looking for 10 Biology and 2 Art Ecology REU students for the Summer of 2019. This years dates of program are May 27-August 2, 2019. This interdisciplinary REU Site Program at the Sevilleta Field Station in central New Mexico will train undergraduate students who will conduct independent research under the guidance of UNM faculty in Biology, Ecology, Civil Engineering, and Earth and Planetary Sciences, along with scientists from Federal and State agencies. The summer program includes a seminar series, a weekly journal club, an annual symposium, professional development workshops, public speaking, ethics training, field trips, and opportunities to interact with a multitude of scientists conducting research in the area. Students will conduct independent research in and around the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge (SNWR) and present their projects at the annual symposium to be held in early August 2019. Working at the Sevilleta Field Station and SNWR site invites close interactions among students, faculty, federal scientists, and graduate students.

Students will have numerous opportunities to share ideas and explore issues within and across disciplines. The program’s goals are to (1) provide students with a high quality independent research experience, (2) expose students to a large, multidisciplinary research program, (3) inspire students to continue into professional careers, and (4) prepare students for the rigors of graduate school, professional research, and responsible citizenship. The program exemplifies the integration of research and education. As students conduct research, they will learn how to be independent scientists, and they will gain experience dealing with many technical, methodological and ethical issues that arise in scientific research.

In addition to the 10 Biology REUs, 2 Art REU students (funded through the Sevilleta LTER Program) will be selected for summer of 2019.  The goals of the selected individuals will be to observe and interpret the ecology, research, and landscape of the SNWR through the creation of artistic works (e.g., photography, painting, sculpture, videos).  These artworks will be used to cultivate the understanding among the general public about the goals of UNM and SNWR in studying, restoring, and protecting the ecology and landscapes present within the SNWR.  Final artworks will be displayed and maintained in facilities under the care of UNM.

Lodging and laboratory space for all REU students will be provided by the UNM Sevilleta Field Station at no cost to the student. In addition, candidates chosen will receive a stipend of $5500 and a $500 food allowance during the 10-week summer program that will run from May 27 – August 2.  We will also refund travel costs to and from the UNM Sevilleta Field Station up to $600 (stipulations apply). Students will have access to ~$500 for materials and supplies related to their research or artistic endeavors.

Applications will be accepted from students at any stage of their undergraduate program (freshman to senior) and any discipline, so long as the applicant is interested in conservation biology and ecology in aridland environments. Students are not eligible if they have completed an undergraduate degree by the start of Summer 2019. We especially welcome applications from students at two and four year colleges, students early in their college career, students that are the first member of their family to attend college, non-traditional students, and students from traditionally underrepresented groups.  Students must be U.S. Citizens.

General requirements for participation in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Programs in the Biological Sciences are set by the National Science Foundation. These requirements are listed below:

Applicants to the Sevilleta REU Program must be:
• Citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions (e.g., Puerto Rico).
• Undergraduate students enrolled in a degree program (full- or part-time) leading to a Bachelor’s degree.
• Undergraduate students who are transferring from one institution to another but are not enrolled at either institution during the intervening summer may participate.

Students are not eligible if they are:
• Foreign nationals residing in a country other than the United States.
• Students that have completed high school but have not yet enrolled in a degree program at an educational institution of higher learning.
• Students that have completed an undergraduate degree and are no longer enrolled in a degree program at an educational institution of higher learning.

Requirements for the Sevilleta REU Program:
• The Sevilleta REU Program has no additional requirements. Applications will be accepted from students at any stage of their undergraduate program (freshman to senior) and any discipline, so long as the applicant is generally interested in careers related to conservation biology and ecology.
• We are particularly interested in applications from students that have had limited opportunities to conduct independent research at their home institution. We welcome and encourage applications from students at four year colleges, students that are the first member of their family to attend college, non-traditional students, and students from traditionally underrepresented groups.

A completed application for the Sevilleta LTER Research Experience for Undergraduates Summer Program will consist of five items:
1. A complete online application (see below).
2. A resume.
3. An unofficial copy of your academic transcript. If accepted into the REU program, applicants will be required to provide an official copy before starting the program.
4. Two letters of recommendation. These can be from faculty advisors from the student’s home institution, mentors or previous employers. Recommendations from those that are able to comment on the applicant’s academic ability, initiative, maturity, and self-motivation are preferred. Please have your respondents email your letters of recommendation to srbaker@unm.edu WITH the subject line of “2019 REU Recommendation for YOUR NAME.”
5. A two-page essay addressing the development of the student’s interest in ecology, the specific areas of research interest, and current professional career goals. Essays can be single or double-spaced but should be in a legible font (min. 11 point) with 1 inch margins.
6. Art REUs will also need to provide a portfolio with examples of their artwork.  This should be a PowerPoint presentation or pdf and needs to be uploaded to the application.

Deadlines
The application form, resume, unofficial transcript, two-page essay, and letters of recommendation should be received by February 15, 2019.

Questions regarding the application procedure can be directed to the Program Manager, Stephanie Baker by e-mail. Please put REU 2019 in the subject line.
e-mail: srbaker@unm.edu

TO APPLY AND FOR MORE INFORMATION visit: https://sevilletareu.wordpress.com/

APPLY NOW: L’Oréal USA For Women in Science Fellowship Program

Applications for the 2019 L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship program are now open and will close on Friday, February 1, 2019. 

The L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship program honors female scientists at a critical stage in their careers with grants of $60,000 each. Since 2003, we’ve awarded 75 postdoctoral women scientists nearly $4 million in grants. We’re seeking five exceptional female scientists looking to advance their research and serve as role models for the next generation of girls in STEM.
 
Candidates are selected from a variety of fields including the life and physical/material sciences, technology (including computer science), engineering, and mathematics. Candidates must have completed their PhD and have started in their postdoctoral position by the application deadline.

The application and more information about the L’Oréal USA For Women in Science program can be found at www.lorealusa.com/forwomeninscience.

Should you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Ms. Rachel Pacifico at rachel.pacifico@loreal.com.

   2019 FWIS Application Flyer by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

   2019 FWIS FAQ by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

   2019 FWIS Fact Sheet by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

Neurobiology Seminar Series | Alice Ting, Ph.D.

   Seminar Flyer_Alice Ting by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

Computational Biology Colloquium | Harmen Bussemaker, Ph.D.

Harmen Bussemaker, Ph.D.
Professor, Columbia University, Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Systems Biology
Lab Website

From millions of DNA reads to mechanistic insight into transcription factor function

Tuesday, December 11, 2018
2 PM
RRI 101

Abstract: In this talk, we discuss how principled biophysical and statistical modeling of deep-sequencing-based functional genomics data can yield unprecedented mechanistic insight into transcription factor function. No Read Left Behind (NRLB), our new feature-based maximum likelihood algorithm for analyzing SELEX data, allows us to quantify the binding specificity of transcription factor complexes almost perfectly over a >100-fold affinity range and an unlimited binding site footprint; it accurately predict changes in gene expression levels in fly embryos when ultra-low-affinity Hox binding sites in enhancers are mutated. NRLB binding models are mechanism-agnostic, but can be examined for signatures of DNA shape readout using a new statistical methodology that we developed. An extension of SELEX that uses barcoded mixtures of methylated and unmethylated DNA ligands reveals that CpG methylation can affect binding by human Hox complexes either positively or negatively, depending on exactly where the CpG is located relative to the binding interface; binding by the p53 tetramer can be stabilized by cytosine methylation both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we demonstrate how comprehensive integrative analysis of gene regulatory networks driving aging and longevity implicates an unknown zinc finger protein as a key antagonist of FoxO3a, and show that siRNA knockdown of this transcription factor in human cells leads to significantly increased nuclear localization of FoxO3a.

Host:  Remo Rohs

Rockwell Dennis Hunt Scholastic Award Application

The Rockwell Dennis Hunt Scholastic Award honors USC graduate students whose undergraduate degree is from USC. The $5,000 award is bestowed at the USC Honors Convocation in April. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Earned a bachelor’s degree at USC within the last five years (2014 - 2018)
• Completed at least three years of undergraduate work at USC
• Currently working towards a master’s or doctoral degree at the University of Southern California during 2018-2019

Applications are due through to the Graduate School by Friday, December 7, 2018 at 5pm. The online application is available here: https://goo.gl/forms/pjklsFf2g9bDnzdf2.  One letter of recommendation must be email to gradfllw@usc.edu by Friday, December 7, 2018 at 5pm.

Chateaubriand Fellowship for PhD students

The Chateaubriand Fellowship is a grant offered by the Embassy of France in the United States. Every year, it allows doctoral students enrolled in American universities to conduct research in France for 4 to 9 months. Chateaubriand fellows receive a stipend, a round trip ticket to France and health insurance.

Deadline: January 8, 2019 at 12pm (noon) EST for fellowships starting during the 2019-2020 academic year.

   Appel Chateaubriand 2019-2020 - En by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society Student Recognition Awards

The USC Chapter of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society invites applications for PKP Student Recognition Awards for the 2018-2019 academic year.  These awards are open to students in all schools at USC, both graduate students and undergraduates, for original works of scholarship or creative arts.

Students must be registered at USC this fall and their applications must be endorsed by a faculty member.  Details are on the attached flier and application form.

Four awards are announced each year at the annual Honors Convocation in the spring.  Student recipients receive $500 in addition to the prestige associated with the award. The submission deadline is December 5, 2018.

   PKP 2018 Student Awards Submission Package by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

Computational Biology Colloquium | Assaf Zemach, Ph.D.

Assaf Zemach, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer, Tel Aviv University
Staff Profile

Epigenetics in multicellular organisms: a lesson from gene body methylation in honey bee

Thursday, November 15, 2018
2 PM
RRI 101

Abstract: DNA methylation regulates the genome and plays a fundamental developmental role in many eukaryotes. Its epigenetic characteristics allow organisms to memorize stimuli conditions through cell divisions. While DNA methylation is mostly known for its role in transcriptional silencing, recent studies found methylation to be targeted inside sequences of actively transcribed genes, thus termed gene body methylation. Gene body methylation is a common, robust, conserved, and an essential epigenetic phenomenon that exist in many animals and plants. Abnormalities in gene body methylation characterize 50% of all cancers. However, despite all these characteristics, the biological roles of gene body methylation remain the subject of continued debate. Robust non-genic methylation in vertebrates perplex the identification of specific genic methylation effects. To overcome this, we study the role of gene body methylation in honey bee, which similar to other invertebrates, target methylation exclusively to actively transcribed genes. In my talk, I will present data suggesting that 1) gene body methylation stabilizes, rather than alters, transcription during development; 2) genic methylation can oscillate in multicellular organisms as long as it is being kept at an adequate level to preserve its function during development and its pattern across generations; 3) genic methylation is a conserved regulator of animal nervous systems.

Host:  Remo Rohs

Research Assistant at Boston Children’s Hospital

   BostonChildrensHospital ResearchAssistant Job Posting October2018 by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

Faculty Positions at Harbin Institute of Technology

   Nature Index Advertisement%5b1%5d by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

Computational Biology Colloquium | Vikas Bansal, Ph.D.

Vikas Bansal, Ph.D.
University of California, San Diego
School of Medicine
Dept. of Pediatrics
Lab Website

“Haplotype-resolved whole-genome sequencing using short reads and long reads”

Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018
2 PM
RRI 101

Abstract: Humans are diploid and long-range haplotype information is crucial for genetic mapping in Mendelian and complex disorders, population genetics analyses, and for the complete interpretation of variants in individual genomes.  However, the short read lengths of sequencing technologies such as Illumina limit the ability to reconstruct haplotypes for individual genomes. We have previously developed state-of-the-art computational tools for haplotype assembly from sequence data. We have also demonstrated that chromosomal-spanning haplotypes for human genomes can be assembled using our haplotype assembly tool, HapCUT, applied to proximity-ligation (HiC) sequence data. Recently, we have developed a computational method that enables haplotype-resolved variant detection directly from error-prone long reads generated using the Pacific Biosciences SMRT technology. This method has high precision and recall for single nucleotide variants (0.994 and 0.974 respectively), significantly better than existing variant calling methods, and can enable variant calling in segmental duplications with high sequence identity that are inaccessible to short reads.  We are also working to enable accurate and complete haplotyping using short read Illumina sequencing. Using data from four human genomes sequenced using a novel HiC protocol, we have assembled highly accurate whole-genome haplotypes. Our results demonstrate that haplotype-resolved whole-genome sequencing is feasible using both long and short read technologies and likely to become routine in the near future.

Host: Mark Chaisson

MOL Colloquium Series | Nirupa Chaudhari, Ph.D.

   Nirupa Chaudhari Flier 11-02-18 by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

MEB Seminar Series | Nathan Walworth, Ph.D.

Nathan Walworth, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher, USC, BISC
Prof. Naomi Levine’s Lab

Hitting a moving target: Microbial evolution in a dynamic ocean

Tuesday, October 30, 2018
12 PM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)

Abstract: Microbes drive global biogeochemistry yet little is known about their microevolutionary rates and processes in response to global change. This is particularly critical in marine systems where long-term trends (e.g. warming) are overlain onto short timescale variability (e.g. eddies) and where advection moves organisms rapidly between ecoregions. The interplay between physical and evolutionary timescales was investigated using a model of adaptation coupled with an eddy-resolving climate model. Fitness increases were encoded by epigenetic modifications under short exposure times to new environments, with beneficial genetic mutations only contributing after extended exposure times. The relationship between microevolutionary and physical timescales is critical for determining future adaptation where assuming instant adaptation may bias model predictions of microbial dynamics. Decoupling between locations of selective pressure and regions of accumulation for adapted individuals was observed. These accumulation zones may act as ‘seed banks’ for novel genotypes and thus evolutionary hotspots under global change.

Thesis Center Office Hours + FAQ for Students

Sam Mantell of the Graduate School will be holding Thesis Center Office Hours. If you will be submitting a thesis/dissertation manuscript this term and need one-on-one assistance with Thesis Center, please schedule an appointment to meet with him.

Office Hours will be held on UPC, in STU 301, and on HSC, in CHP 219, between 10 /18 and 10/24. Office Hours appointments can be scheduled on the Graduate School website, in the Graduate Events page.

Attached, you will find Thesis Center FAQ for Students.

   Thesis Center FAQ for Students by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

The Irving and Jeanne Glovin Award 2018-19

Attached, you will find this year's announcement for the Glovin Award. This award is granted to a graduate student who demonstrates scholarly excellence and wishes to carry out research into and produce an essay related to the nature of good human conduct. The award consists of a $2,500 research stipend for the student and a $500 research grant for the recipient's project advisor. 

Applications are due no later than Friday, November 2, 2018.

   Glovin Award Announcement 2018-19 by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

MEB Seminar Series | Daniel Pondella, Ph.D.

Daniel Pondella, Ph.D.
Professor, Occidental College, Biology; Director, Vantuna Research Group
Research Group Website

More Big Fish, Restoring the Southern California Rocky Reef Ecosystem

Tuesday, October 23
12 PM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)

Abstract: Southern California has one of the most dynamic and productive marine rocky-reef ecosystems in the world.  Its characteristic giant kelp beds are a visual reminder from the surface of the majestic expanse found below.  Unfortunately, despite its potential we have observed decades of chronic decline in ecosystem health and services. This decline in health for rocky reefs and kelp beds is a result of pollution, habitat loss and overfishing and is particularly problematic for coastal communities where the loss of commercial and recreational fishing opportunities has negatively affected the economy of the region. Traditional management actions can have positive changes, are generally passive (like changing a fishery regulation) but usually work on multi-year to multi-decadal time scales. While my research has highlighted these positive longterm impacts including the return of ‘big fish’ (giant seabass, white seabass, leopard shark, soupfins etc.), my current research is focused on creating solutions that work in short time scales, what I refer to as active management. My colleagues and I are currently developing and implementing a variety of restoration and enhancement techniques to restore the Southern California rocky reef ecosystem using the Palos Verdes Peninsula as the starting point for the region. To support the science behind understanding the efficacy of these technique, I focus on developing ecosystem-based spatial and timeseries models primarily utilizing marine fishes to evaluate and improve our restoration efforts.  Considering the challenges our coastline continues to face, immediately improving the health of our rocky-reef ecosystem and associated fisheries is paramount.

Computational Biology Colloquium | Kelley Harris, Ph.D.

Kelley Harris, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, University of Washington, Department of Genome Sciences
Lab Website

Using archaic introgression to probe enhancer function and evolution

Thursday, October 25, 2018
2 PM
RRI 101

Abstract: After Neanderthals interbred with humans, their DNA was selectively purged from many functional regions of the genome. Protein coding regions, for example, tend to have less Neanderthal DNA than regions that evolve more neutrally, and this imbalance implies that Neanderthal genes put hybrids at a fitness disadvantage compared to contemporaries without hybrid ancestry. As such, the landscape of Neanderthal introgression provides a snapshot of selection that occurred about 50,000 years ago as a result of the differences that arose over 300,000 years of Neanderthal/human divergence. To deduce how much of this selection may have been driven by gene regulation rather than gene sequence, we examine how high-confidence Neanderthal variants annotated by Sankararaman, et al. are distributed in enhancer regions annotated by the ENCODE project, calculating the binomial enrichment/depletion of Neanderthal variants in enhancers compared to a set of control variants matched for allele frequency and the local intensity of background selection. We find that enhancers appear to have tolerated Neanderthal introgression slightly better than genes or promoters have, but are still significantly depleted of introgression more than expected based on their relatively modest level of sequence conservation. We find that highly pleiotropic enhancers active in many tissue types are the most intolerant to introgression, whereas tissue-specific enhancers are relatively tolerant to Neanderthal DNA, perhaps because changes to the sequences of tissue-specific enhancers are easier to buffer and therefore less damaging to regulatory function. Every cell type profiled by ENCODE appears somewhat intolerant to the presence of Neanderthal DNA in its complement of enhancers, but the magnitude of this intolerance varies by tissue type. Introgression depletion is correlated across tissues with skew in the site frequency spectrum toward rare variants, but this correlation is imperfect, indicating that the introgression landscape provides additional information about genomic functionality that cannot be gleaned from conservation information alone. Fetal enhancers, in particular, seem to tolerate new mutations better than brain enhancers do, but of the two categories, fetal enhancers are less tolerant of introgression. Fetal enhancers that are classified as human accelerated regions (HARs) show the strongest introgression intolerance of all, suggesting that enhancers in this pathway have experienced more functionally significant changes since the human/Neanderthal split than other pathways that exhibit more enhancer sequence conservation overall.

Host:  Mark Chaisson

This week on campus | 10/15-10/21

Below is a curated list of events on campus that may be of interest to BISC students.

Monday, October 15

The Boba Truck at SOTO Building

TAI CHI - Movement Meditation Series

Tuesday, October 16

USC Stem Cell Seminar: Martin Lotz, Scripps

Curator's Walkthrough

USC Spatial Brown Bag Series

Interview and Negotiation Workshop

USC Dornsife Career Pathways Work it Series | Close it: Salary negotiation and job offers

KUNDALINI YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

Wednesday, October 17

Justin's Sampling at Seeds

Trojan Farmers Market

Research Gateway Scholars Program

USC Global Fellows Internship Program Information Session

Feel Better Workshops Drop-In - USC Student Health

Music@RushHour: Lisztomania Part I

Trojan Scary Farm

Let's Talk - International Student Workshops - Drop-in

USC Interfaith Council

Thursday, October 18

Study Abroad in Madrid Info Session - USC Madrid

IYENGAR YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

Major2Career Oppor2nity Peace Corps

CommuniTEA

Feel Better Workshops Drop-In - USC Student Health

Los Angeles Philharmonic: Romeo & Juliet with Gustavo Dudamel and Benjamin Millepied

Jazz Duos: Voice & Guitar

Friday, October 19

Ming Hsieh Institute Symposium

LABYRINTH - Movement Meditation Series

Yoga at Fisher

Mindful Yoga

USC Stem Cell Student/Postdoc Seminar

Probability and Statistics Seminar: Diffusion-Limited Annihilating Systems

Late Night SC Griffith Park Night Hike

USC Thornton Chamber Singers & Concert Choir: Radiant Dawn

Saturday, October 20

Metropolitan Opera Live in HD: Giuseppe Verdi's “Aida”

MEB Seminar Series | Anne Dekas, Ph.D.

Anne Dekas, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Stanford University
Lab Website

Linking function to phylogeny in marine microbes: two stories from the dark ocean

October 16
12 PM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)

RESEARCH OVERVIEW
Microorganisms collectively shape the chemistry of our planet, and have for billions of years. Understanding the activity and metabolic capabilities of microbes in the modern environment is therefore critical to understanding the history of the Earth, as well as the future of our climate.
The Dekas Lab focuses on understanding the microbiology and biogeochemistry of the deep sea: the largest and least explored habitat on the surface of our planet. We investigate the diversity, distribution and activity of marine bacteria and archaea driving carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycling, with a focus on processes directly and indirectly involved in the production and consumption of greenhouse gases (e.g. CH4, CO2 and N2O). Using techniques from both molecular biology and isotope geochemistry, we answer questions such as: (1) “who” is doing “what” (linking phylogenetic identity to physiological function), (2) what are the biogeochemical controls on metabolic rates, (3) how do specific metabolisms affect global scale biogeochemical cycles and climate, and (4) will these metabolisms act as a positive or negative feedback to climate change?

BNRO Seminar Series | Harold Zakon, Ph.D.

Subscribe to U.S. Coastal Research Program's Quarterly Bulletin

Anyone interested in collaborative coastal research should sign up for the U.S. Coastal Research Program's Quarterly Bulletin.

E-mail info@uscoastalresearch.org

ABOUT USCRP: Founded in 2016, the U.S. Coastal Research Program (USCRP) was formed as a grass-roots collaboration of researchers from Federal agencies, academia, & NGOs to better coordinate coastal research, enhance funding sources, & strengthen academic programs to build a skilled workforce.

This week on campus | 10/8-10/14

Below is a curated list of events on campus that may be of interest to BISC students.

Monday, October 8

Research Gateway Scholars Program

TAI CHI - Movement Meditation Series

Jazz Night: USC Thornton Concert Jazz Orchestra performs music from “West Side Story”

Tuesday, October 9

USC Stem Cell Seminar: Mo Ebrahimkhani, Arizona State University

Pasadena Career Fair & Job Fair

Interview and Negotiation Workshop

USC Dornsife Career Pathways Work it Series | Close it: Salary negotiation and job offers

KUNDALINI YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

Wednesday, October 10

San Diego Career Fair & Job Fair

Columbia’s Sustainability Graduate Programs

Feel Better Workshops Drop-In - USC Student Health

Music@RushHour: USC Brass Ensemble

USC Interfaith Council

Popular Music: First-Year Showcase

Thursday, October 11


Trojan Family Weekend 2018

USC Stem Cell and BCRegMed Virtual Symposium

Trojan Farmers Market

San Francisco Career Fair & Job Fair

IYENGAR YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

Keep Up with Social Media: Your Online Presence

CommuniTEA

Feel Better Workshops Drop-In - USC Student Health

Film Screening: Alone in the Game

Friday, October 12

12th Annual USC Stevens Student Innovator Showcase

LABYRINTH - Movement Meditation Series

Yoga at Fisher

Prospective Student Day: Master of Education in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs (PASA) and Educational Counseling (EC) Programs

Professional Writing: Essentials of Email

USC Stem Cell Student/Postdoc Seminar

Research Gateway Scholars Program

Concerto Night with the USC Thornton Symphony

Popular Music: Second-Year Showcase

Saturday, October 13

USC Football vs. Colorado

Chinese Calligraphy Classes

Chinese Brushpainting Classes

MEB Seminar Series | Daniel E. Crocker, Ph.D.

Daniel E. Crocker, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology
Sonoma State University
Lab Website

Stress and reproduction in northern elephant seals

Tuesday, October 9
12 PM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)

Research Interests:
Comparative Physiology of Vertebrates; Physiological Ecology; Bioenergetics; Behavioral Ecology; Biology of Marine Mammals.

Research Program:
My research is focused on the physiological and behavioral ecology of pinnipeds, seals and sea lions. My approach is to integrate physiology and behavior with the aim of addressing ecological theory. I am investigating physiological factors that impact the reproductive and foraging strategies used by marine predators. Much of my current research is focused on the physiology and behavior of northern elephant seals. These investigations include both field and laboratory studies. My field research focuses on studies of fasting physiology and reproduction when seals are hauled out on land to breed and diving physiology and foraging when animals are at sea.  My graduate students are exploring a wide variety of research areas including fasting physiology, foraging behavior and life history strategies. My lab has a strong collaborative relationship with the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

CBB Colloquium Series | Fereydoun Hormozdiari, Ph.D.

Fereydoun Hormozdiari, Ph.D.
University of California Davis,
Genome Center
Lab Website

Contribution of structural variation to genome structure

Thursday October 11, 2018
2 PM
RRI 101

Abstract: Using Hi-C data we are able to study the genomic interactions, such as enhancer-promoter interactions that are the main mechanism for gene regulation. The analysis of Hi-C data has also provided evidence that genome folds into different compartments and domains. One of these types of domains discovered is called topological associated domains (TADs). Recent studies reported structural variants (SVs) that disrupted the three-dimensional genome structure by fusing two TADs, such that enhancers from one TAD interacted with genes from the other TAD, could cause severe developmental disorders. In this talk, we formally define TAD fusion and provide a combinatorial approach for assigning a score to quantify the level of TAD fusion for each deletion denoted as TAD fusion score. We show that our method correctly gives higher scores to deletions reported to cause developmental disorders as a result of disrupting genome structure in comparison to the deletions reported in the 1000 Genomes Project. We will also show that deletions that cause TAD fusion are rare and under negative selection in general population.

Host:  Mark Chaisson

MEB Seminar Series | Enrique Navarro, Ph.D.

Enrique Navarro, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor in USC’s Manahan Lab
Professor of Physiology
Department GAFFA, Faculty of Science and Technology
University of Basque Country (UPV/EHU)
Spain

Physiological mechanisms underlying differential growth in size-segregated spat groups of marine bivalves

Tuesday, October 2
12 PM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)

Abstract: Rates of growth are highly variable in bivalve mollusks and much of this is genetically controlled. Aquaculture practices, through the artificial selection for faster growth, have brought out differentiated growth phenotypes, enabling experiments to investigate the physiological mechanisms underlying this differential expression of growth rate. Persistent physiological differences reported among these groups contrast with the flexible behavior for feeding and growth traits required to cope with changes in the food environment (phenotypic plasticity). From this perspective, the specific aims of our research were to (i) assess the extent to which physiological behavior accounting for growth performance is endogenously (genetically) determined, and (ii) to question how much of this behavior can be environmentally modulated to achieve a more effective exploitation of available food resources within the limits set by the genetic constitution of individuals.
We addressed these issues with different species of bivalves by using groups of spat from a given generation that were artificially segregated on the basis of size in order to produce two differentiated growth categories or groups, henceforth F and S for fast and slow growers, respectively. These groups were subsequently subjected to different food rations to produce growth rate variation in the laboratory while physiological components of the energy balance were determined. Both F and S phenotypes exhibited the same pattern of response and a similar capacity to compensate for variations in food availability through both short and long-term adjustments of feeding behavior which optimized food acquisition. However, phenotypic plasticity does not include constitutive differences in the physiological behavior that underlies the differential growth between F and S phenotypes maintained throughout the dietary conditions. Under standard (hatchery) feeding conditions, the faster growth of F phenotype is achieved through a combination of faster feeding (assisted by larger gills) and an increased metabolic efficiency which results in reduced unitary costs of growth.  For F and S groups segregated under restrictive feeding conditions, however, fast growth appears to rely mainly on energy saving mechanisms based on reduced metabolic costs of body maintenance.

Google Scholar Profile

This week on campus | 10/1-10/7

Below is a curated list of events on campus that may be of interest to BISC students.

Monday, October 1

Intercultural Writing: Avoiding Plagiarism as an International Student

TAI CHI - Movement Meditation Series

Jazz Night: USC Thornton Jazz Orchestra

Tuesday, October 2

USC Stem Cell Seminar: Jack Parent, University of Michigan

Designing Molecular and Nanoscale Materials for Bottom-up Control of Magnetism

USC Dornsife Career Pathways Work it Series | Share it: Ace the Interview

Crafting an Elevator Pitch that will Leave a Lasting Impression

KUNDALINI YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

Wednesday, October 3

Master of Arts in Teaching- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages & World Masters in Language Teaching Webinar Session

Trojan Farmers Market

What Matters to Me & Why with Maureen McHale

Zilkha Seminar Series: “Noradrenergic modulation of somatosensory cortex during tactile detection”

Feel Better Workshops Drop-In - USC Student Health

Music@RushHour: Mozart, Mendelssohn, and More!

How to Negotiate Salary $ Advance Your Career

USC Interfaith Council

Thursday, October 4

Metrans Field Trip: Port of Long Beach Harbor Tour

Research Gateway Scholars Program

IYENGAR YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

CommuniTEA

Feel Better Workshops Drop-In - USC Student Health

Friday, October 5

LABYRINTH - Movement Meditation Series

Yoga at Fisher

USC Stem Cell Student/Postdoc Seminar

Sustainability Professionals Speaker Series

Trojan Space Pioneers Featuring an Exclusive Advance Screening and Discussion of First Man

Visit of Professor Michael Shelley of NYU and the Simons Foundation

Professor Michael Shelley of the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at NYU, and Leader of the Biophysical Modeling Group at the Flatiron Institute at the Simons Foundation, will give the AME seminar next Wednesday, October 3, at 3:30pm in SSL 150. He will talk about the mathematical modeling and simulations of several active processes and flows in the cell, including cell division.

Title: ACTIVE MECHANICS AND FLOWS IN THE CELL

Abstract: Many fundamental phenomena in eukaryotic cells — nuclear migration,
spindle positioning, chromosome segregation — involve the interaction of
(often transitory) cytoskeletal elements with boundaries and fluids.
Understanding the consequences of these interactions require specialized
numerical methods for their large-scale simulation, as well as
mathematical modeling and analysis. In this context, I will discuss the
recent interactions of mathematical modeling and large-scale, detailed
simulations with experimental measurements and perturbations of
activity-driven biomechanical processes within the cell.

Bio:
Michael Shelley holds a PhD in Applied Mathematics (1985) from the
University of Arizona. He was a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton
University, and then joined the faculty of mathematics at the University
of Chicago (1988). He joined the Courant Institute at New York University
in 1992 where he is the George and Lilian Lyttle Professor of Applied
Mathematics. Since 2015 he has also been the Group Leader in Biophysical
Modeling at the Flatiron Institute of the Simons Foundation.

MOL Colloquium Series | Heidi Goodrich-Blair, Ph.D.

   Heidi Goodrich-Blair Flier 10-05-18 by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

This week on campus | 9/24-9/30

Below is a curated list of events on campus that may be of interest to BISC students.

Monday, September 24

The MedTech Conference

I3 - Investigate Industries and Internships: Technology

Grad Forum Series | Navigating Grad (PhD) Life

TAI CHI - Movement Meditation Series

Jazz Night: Jazz Honors Combo

Tuesday, September 25

CSU Grad School Virtual Fair

Trojan Talk with Google

USC Paleosciences Research Seminar Series

USC Stem Cell Seminar: Helen Goodridge, Cedars-Sinai—“Myeloid cell heterogeneity, origins, and functional programming”

Synthesizing Nanoparticles for Green Energy: New Chemistry from the Core to the Surface

USC Dornsife Career Pathways Work it Series | Write it: Cover letters and business communication

KUNDALINI YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

Life after death on a remote Pacific reef: lessons in resilience

Wednesday, September 26

Trojan Farmers Market

Feel Better Workshops Drop-In - USC Student Health

Music@RushHour: Cello Masterworks

Strings Showcase: Open Performance Evening

USC Interfaith Council

Thursday, September 27

Master of Education in Learning Design and Technology (LDT) Program Webinar Session

IYENGAR YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

USC Dornsife Career Pathways Work it Series | Brand it: Branding your professional identity

CommuniTEA

#TUNNELVISION presents: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Friday, September 28

LABYRINTH - Movement Meditation Series

Yoga at Fisher

The Power of the Cover Letter

USC Stem Cell Student/Postdoc Seminar

GRE Practice Exam

Saturday, September 29

USC vs. Arizona (Football)

CBB Colloquium Series | Brian Shoichet, Ph.D.

Brian Shoichet, Ph.D.
University of California, San Francisco,
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Ultra-Large Library Docking to Discover New Chemotypes Conferring New Biology

Thursday, September 27
2 PM
RRI 101

Abstract: Molecular docking screens large compound libraries for molecules that complement a binding site, but do not resemble known ligands.  Especially for receptors that with multiple conformations and signaling outcomes, the new molecules can confer new biology.  Recent campaigns against b-lactamase and the dopamine D4 receptor will be described, as will new opportunities and challenges arising from an 80-fold increase in the number of readily available molecules, to over 250 million that can be docked.

Race Relay

   Race Relay With Logo by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

THESIS CENTER INFORMATION SESSIONS

As the thesis and dissertation submission deadline approaches for the Fall 2018 semester, the Graduate School will host two information sessions detailing the thesis submission process next week, on Wednesday, September 26th. The Health Sciences Campus session will take place in Hastings Auditorium at 12:00 pm. The University Park Campus session will take place in GFS 106 at 5:00 pm.

Topics will include important information for both students and advisors, such as:
·         Thesis Center navigation
·         submission deadlines
·         required documentation

There will be an opportunity for questions following the presentation.

USC/UBC virtual Symposium 10/11/2018

Modern technology allows us to connect at our finger tips with people around the globe. Now, we can connect USC with colleagues worldwide to exchange ideas and forge new partnerships. With this goal in mind, the Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research is holding a virtual symposium using upgraded audiovisual systems in the Broad CIRM Center auditorium to connect with a sister auditorium at the Regenerative Medicine Center, University of British Columbia, Canada. The all-day meeting will take place on October 11th and will feature talks from faculty and trainees in both centers. You are all welcome to attend. There will be a virtual poster session during lunch and a happy hour in the afternoon. If you are interested in presenting a poster, please contact Qing Liu qliumich@med.usc.edu for details.

Please note: lunch will be provided for registered participants only.

To Register: https://goo.gl/forms/ShgndjTndCXofKyB2

MEB Seminar Series | Christopher Lowe, Ph.D.

Christopher Lowe, Ph.D.
Professor and Director of the CSULB Shark Lab

Recovery of white sharks in the Northeast Pacific and what this means for coastal communities

Tuesday, September 25
12 PM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)

Abstract: Despite the challenges in studying white sharks, there is growing evidence of population recovery resulting from state and federal protection, recovery of marine mammal populations and improved fisheries management.  Southern California coastal beaches are known seasonal nursery habitat for white sharks in the Northeast Pacific.  However, juvenile white sharks appear to be temperature sensitive and their distribution and movements influenced by regional oceanographic conditions.  Because of this population increase and milder winter conditions, there is a highly likelihood that juvenile white sharks will be using coastal beach nursery habitat throughout more of the year.  This increased abundance and behavior can potentially result in a higher degree of shark-human interactions, creating conservation and economic challenges for coastal cities.

Gerontology Colloquium Series | Orian Shirihai, M.D., Ph.D.

Orian S. Shirihai, MD, Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine – Endocrinology and Pharmacology
David Geffen School of Medicine

Social life of mitochondria within the cell

Thursday, September 20
12 PM
GER 224

Lunch is provided

This week on campus | 9/17-9/23

Below is a curated list of events on campus that may be of interest to BISC students.

Monday, September 17


Buzzfeed Campus Recruiting Online Information Session

Slick Policy: Environmental and Science Policy in the Aftermath of the Santa Barbara Oil Spill

TAI CHI - Movement Meditation Series

Tuesday, September 18

USC Stem Cell Seminar: Kathrin Plath, UCLA

USC Dornsife Career Pathways Work it Series | Tailor it: Writing impressive resumes and CVs

KUNDALINI YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

GRE Test-Taking Strategies

Wednesday, September 19

American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. (AOTA) Occupational Therapy Education Virtual Fair

Trojan Farmers Market

Feel Better Workshops Drop-In - USC Student Health

Music@RushHour: Classical Guitar Showcase

USC Interfaith Council

USC Thornton Symphony: Bernstein & Prokofiev

Thursday, September 20

Gerontology Colloquium Series | Orian Shirihai, M.D., Ph.D.

From Bench to Market: Working With the Stevens Center to Commercialize Your Innovations

CommuniTEA

Feel Better Workshops Drop-In - USC Student Health

Trojan Talk with DeciBio Consulting

Harvest Moon Festival & Third Thursday in the Playhouse District

Late Night ‘SC Movie Night: Solo

Friday, September 21

LABYRINTH - Movement Meditation Series

Yoga at Fisher

Study Abroad in London at Queen Mary, Univ. of London

USC Stem Cell Student/Postdoc Seminar

USC Football vs. Washington State

Saturday, September 22

Ocean Trails with Prof. Maggie Switek (Peaks & Professors)

Innovations Changing the Management of Diseases of the GI Tract, Liver and Pancreas

Grant Writing Workshop (USC VSRI)

Yunji Yi - MM Piano

MEB Seminar Series | John Coates, Ph.D.

John Coates, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology, Chair Plant & Microbial Biology, and Academic Director, Energy Biosciences Institute

The power of biology to fuel the future: microbially mediated electromagnetic to chemical energy transformations

Tuesday, September 18
12 PM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)

Abstract: The Coates Lab focuses on environmental microbiology: applied microbiology and bioremediation. We investigate removal of radioactive toxic metals, carcinogenic petroleum-based hydrocarbon contaminants, and toxic munitions byproducts from the environment. Recently, we identified dominant groups of bacteria that can transform perchlorate wastes into innocuous chloride, isolated and characterized more than 40 such bacteria, and identified the common biochemical pathway and genetic systems involved.

MOL Colloquium Series | Erik Andersen, Ph.D.

   Erik Andersen Flyer 9-21-18 by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs: Predoctoral, Dissertation, and Postdoctoral

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is accepting applications for the 2019 Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs. Eligibility and online application information are available on the Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs website.

Through its Fellowship Programs, the Ford Foundation seeks to increase the diversity of the nation’s college and university faculties by increasing their ethnic and racial diversity, to maximize the educational benefits of diversity, and to increase the number of professors who can and will use diversity as a resource for enriching the education of all students.

Eligibility Requirements:

• U. S. citizens, U.S. nationals, U.S. permanent residents (holders of a Permanent Resident Card), as well as individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA) program¹, political asylees, and refugees, regardless of race, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or sexual orientation
• Individuals with evidence of superior academic achievement (such as grade point average, class rank, honors or other designations), and
• Individuals committed to a career in teaching and research at the college or university level in a research-based field of science, social science, or humanities

1Eligibility includes individuals with current status under the DACA Program, as well as individuals whose status may have lapsed but who continue to meet all the USCIS guidelines for DACA available here.

Stipends:

• Predoctoral--$24,000 per year for three years
• Dissertation--$25,000 for one year
• Postdoctoral--$45,000 for one year

Awardees will have expenses paid to attend at least one Conference of Ford Fellows. Approximately 70 predoctoral, 36 dissertation, and 24 postdoctoral fellowships will be awarded.

Application Deadline Dates:

• Predoctoral: December 13, 2018 (5:00 PM EST)
• Dissertation: December 6, 2018 (5:00 PM EST)
• Postdoctoral: December 6, 2018 (5:00 PM EST)

Supplementary Materials receipt deadline for submitted applications is January 8, 2019 (5:00 PM EST)

Graduate Research Opportunities at DOE National Laboratories

The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science is pleased to announce that the Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program is now accepting applications for the 2018 Solicitation 2.  Applications are due 5:00pm Eastern Time on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

Detailed information about the program, including eligibility requirements and access to the online application system, can be found at: https://science.energy.gov/wdts/scgsr/. 

The SCGSR program supports supplemental awards to outstanding U.S. graduate students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE national laboratory/facility in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist for a period of 3 to 12 consecutive months—with the goal of preparing graduate students for scientific and technical careers critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission.

The SCGSR program is open to current Ph.D. students in qualified graduate programs at accredited U.S. academic institutions, who are conducting their graduate thesis research in targeted areas of importance to the DOE Office of Science. The research opportunity is expected to advance the graduate students’ overall doctoral thesis/dissertation while providing access to the expertise, resources, and capabilities available at the host DOE laboratories/facilities. The supplemental award provides for additional, incremental costs for living and travel expenses directly associated with conducting the SCGSR research project at the DOE host laboratory/facility during the award period.

The Office of Science expects to make approximately 50 awards in 2018 Solicitation 2 cycle, for project periods beginning anytime between June 3, 2019 and September 30, 2019.

Since its inception in 2014, the SCGSR program has provided support to over 370 graduate awardees from more than 120 different universities to conduct thesis research at 18 DOE national laboratories/facilities across the nation.

The SCGSR program is sponsored and managed by the DOE Office of Science’s Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS), in collaboration with the six Office of Science research programs offices and the DOE national laboratories/facilities, and program administration support is provided by the Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE).

For any questions, please contact the SCGSR Program Manager, Dr. Ping Ge, at sc.scgsr@science.doe.gov.

U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science

This week on campus | 9/10-9/16

Below is a curated list of events on campus that may be of interest to BISC students.

Monday, September 10

Tai Chi Movement Meditation Series

Intro to Graduate School Workshop

Graduate School Application Components

CCMB Journal Club

Change Careers! How to Get Unstuck and Find What To Do Next

Tuesday, September 11

USC Stem Cell Seminar: Judith Varner, University of California, San Diego

OIS International Coffee Hour

USC Dornsife Career Pathways Work it Series | Pitch it: Share your story in 60 seconds

KUNDALINI YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

Student Conversations: USC Student Only Town Hall

Wednesday, September 12

Edwards Lifesciences Trojan Talk

Trojan Farmers Market

Writing Compelling NSF Proposals

Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Program Information Session

USC Interfaith Council

Thursday, September 13

IYENGAR YOGA - Movement Meditation Series

CommuniTEA

Friday, September 14

LABYRINTH - Movement Meditation Series

How to be a Successful Mentee and Mentor

Presentation on research services at USC libraries

Saturday, September 15

Coastal Cleanup Day

Friends and Neighbors Day

USC v. Texas (Football)

September 12-13

Fall Career Day

September 13-16

Yoga and Meditation Club's Yoga and Leadership Workshop

MOL Seminar Series | Marc Vermulst, Ph.D.

   Marc Vermulst Flyer 9-14-18 by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

BNRO Seminar Series | Joanna Jankowsky, Ph.D.

   Dr. Jankowsky Seminar Flyer by uscbiscgrad on Scribd

MEB Seminar Series | Hans Paerl, Ph.D.

Professor Hans Paerl
UNC Inst of Marine Sci.
http://www.unc.edu/ims/paerllab/

Mitigating global proliferation of harmful cyanobacterial blooms in the face of nutrient over-enrichment and climate change

Tuesday, September 11
12 PM
AHF 153 (Torrey Webb Room)

Abstract: Harmful (toxic, hypoxia-generating, food web altering) cyanobacterial blooms (CyanoHABs) are proliferating globally and represent one of the most serious threats to the use and sustainability of freshwater, estuarine and coastal resources.  Managing these blooms (CyanoHABs) has historically focused on reducing phosphorus (P) inputs, based on the assumption that nitrogen (N) fixation will supply ecosystem N needs.  Much has changed in terms of human nutrient inputs to and climatic alterations of bloom-sensitive waters since this paradigm was introduced. Recent studies indicate that cyanobacteria flourish in response to combined N and P loading, or even N enrichment. Non N2 fixing, toxic CyanoHAB genera (e.g., Microcystis, Planktothrix) often dominates under these conditions. Members of these genera require combined N sources to support growth.  Despite decades of P loading controls in the Baltic Sea and North American Great Lakes basin and elsewhere, these CyanoHABs are proliferating worldwide, threatening drinking water supplies, fishing, tourism and overall sustainability of impacted systems. Burgeoning usage of N fertilizers, urban and agricultural N wastes, atmospheric N deposition and groundwater N inputs have increased bioavailable N in receiving waters.  N occurs in gaseous forms, unlike P, and is “lost” to the atmosphere via denitrification and other N sinks, perpetuating N-limitation.  In-system N2 fixation does not appear to compensate for N loss, so external N input is a key driver of eutrophication. Furthermore, there is mounting evidence and concern that N availability is linked to CyanoHAB toxicity; further justification for controlling growing N inputs. Lastly, freshwater and marine ecosystems are hydrologically interconnected; single nutrient (e.g., P only) reductions upstream may not necessarily reduce HABs impacts downstream.  Reducing both N and P inputs is the only viable long-term solution for long-term control of HAB proliferation along the freshwater to marine continuum.  Managers now face the additional effects of climate change, including rising temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns and amounts, on watershed hydrologic and nutrient loading dynamics, internal nutrient cycling, thermal stratification, hydraulic flushing rates and other factors. Those changes generally favor CyanoHABs over other phytoplankton and could influence the efficacy of nutrient control measures; thus requiring setting new nutrient input reduction targets and establishing nutrient-bloom thresholds for impacted waters. The “P-only” management paradigm should be updated to incorporate controls on external N inputs and be adaptive to increasing human population pressure and climate change.

The 12th Annual USC Stevens Student Innovator Showcase 2018

LESS THAN A WEEK LEFT! Don’t miss our Sept. 2 deadline for the USC Stevens Student Innovator Showcase. Apply today at bit.ly/2018SIS.
.
The annual USC Stevens Student Innovator Showcase provides an opportunity for University of Southern California students to present their inventions, startups and prototypes (in all disciplines) to compete for over $30,000 in awards. The innovations may be anything with the potential for impact, from clean energy generation to a medical device to a technological solution for a social problem.