Sources: Michael Herman 785-532-6741, mherman@k-state.edu;
and Loretta Johnson, 785-532-6921, johnson@k-state.edu
Pronouncer: Fallis is Fall-is
Video available. Download at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGD3gWmSkh0
News release prepared by: Stephanie Jacques, 785-532-0101, sjaques@k-state.edu

Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011

IN THE BEGINNING: 1xbet sports betting PROGRAM LINKS FUTURE WITH PAST AT MOLECULAR LEVEL

MANHATTAN -- A special twist on the nature versus nurture debate is grabbing the attention of students seeking a graduate degree in 1xbet sports betting .

The Kansas State University Division of Biology's 1xbet sports betting Institute studies the genetic mechanisms responsible for organisms' adaptive responses to their environment, providing a diverse area of study that appeals to a wide variety of students.

&1xbet sports betting ;I found the eco gen program very interesting,&1xbet sports betting ; said Corin White, a first-year doctoral student in biology from Santa Clara, Calif. &1xbet sports betting ;When I was looking at graduate schools, I was looking for an interdisciplinary program that addressed topics in ecology, behavior, genetics and evolution, and eco gen combines those interests.&1xbet sports betting ;

White is studying genes involved in immune response to the nosocomial bacteria, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, under the direction of her mentor, Michael Herman, professor of biology. Before coming to K-State, White had limited experience with genetics and chose the 1xbet sports betting program because of its diverse faculty expertise.

&1xbet sports betting ;The faculty is knowledgeable in various areas,&1xbet sports betting ; White said. &1xbet sports betting ;If I have a question about any technique, someone here will find or have the answer.&1xbet sports betting ;

Lindsey Fallis, a doctoral student in 1xbet sports betting from Harper, also chose K-State for its 1xbet sports betting program.

&1xbet sports betting ;We all see evidence for evolution outside,&1xbet sports betting ; Fallis said. &1xbet sports betting ;We see phenotypes changing and how everything fits perfectly into an ecosystem. But I find it really interesting when you can get to the molecular level and you can actually trace what has happened. You are essentially figuring out what happened in the past through genes and DNA.&1xbet sports betting ;

Fallis is studying the genes in Drosophila melanogaster, a species of fruit fly, that are responsible for thermal tolerance and for the phenotypic differences within and among populations collected from colder verses warmer climates. She is working with Ted Morgan, assistant professor of 1xbet sports betting .

&1xbet sports betting ;We are seeing changes in the DNA that are potentially affecting the phenotype, but we haven't directly tested that yet,&1xbet sports betting ; Fallis said.

The 1xbet sports betting Institute fosters interactions between biologists and other scientists in pathology, entomology, agronomy, and computer and information sciences. The interdisciplinary aspect of the 1xbet sports betting program gave Fallis the opportunity to converse with faculty outside of the Division of Biology, which gave her a new outlook on her research, making her analysis of her approach more effective.

&1xbet sports betting ;It's important as a scientist to be able to critique all kinds of biology and not just your specific little corner,&1xbet sports betting ; Fallis said. &1xbet sports betting ;Sometimes things get really specific but you need to remember how it all ties together. It is also important to be open to different viewpoints from outside the department. Different perspectives might bring a new light to your research.&1xbet sports betting ;

&1xbet sports betting ;Ecological genomics is unique because it's an interdisciplinary way of doing biology,&1xbet sports betting ; said Michael Herman, co-founder of the Ecological Genomics Institute. &1xbet sports betting ;Our research spans levels of biology, from molecules and genes up through higher levels of organization, and we hope up to the ecosystem level.&1xbet sports betting ;

Both White and Fallis had research presentations at the ninth annual 1xbet sports betting Research Forum that featured the research of 13 other students and postdoctoral fellows in the 1xbet sports betting Institute. White also presented her research at the 18th International C. elegans Meeting sponsored by the Genetics Society of America Conferences in Los Angeles, where she won second place for her poster presentation. Both students would like to ultimately find employment in the academic research field.

&1xbet sports betting ;The big overarching question is, How do organisms adapt in nature? That's a question that has been asked in biology for a hundreds of years, and now we're addressing it at the molecular level,&1xbet sports betting ; Fallis said.