Coral Genomics: An assessment of metabolic pathways and genes influencing coral bleaching. Implications for the development of hydra as a model organism.

Project Information

genomics
Project Status: Complete
Project Region: CAREERS
Submitted By: Anita Schwartz
Project Email: milton.x.muldrow@wilmu.edu
Project Institution: Wilmington University
Anchor Institution: CR-University of Delaware

Students: Natalie Vazquez Beales

Project Description

This project is predicted to be a multi-semester project to broadly assess genes metabolic function found in both humans, coral (Acropora palmata, A. cervicornis, A. millepora) and the hydra Aiptasia pallida.

The first goal is to train students on basic coral biology, and issues influencing coral decline. Students will also be trained to perform blast analyses.

Second, as a lab, we aim to characterize our own strain of Aiptasia, including:
1. Develop inoculated and bleached strains, along with conducting imaging of the strains.
2. Conduct genetic sequencing of the hydra. This initial goal is to provide gene sequencing training, for both the instructor and student, and gather preliminary sequencing data. This would be a new competency to the lab.
3. Test novel substances on hydra hypothesized to influence both growth rate and bleaching resilience.
This will include development of experimental design.
Aiptasia pallida is a model organism for coral reef studies, and these cnidarians are an interesting potential model organism for humans in comparison to the fruit fly. Implications here include:
* potential insight into coral bleaching mechanisms
* insight into human evolution and assessment of potential model organisms
* development of hydra as a model organisms for both corals and humans. Hydra are already well developed as coral models, although this needs significant development.

Lastly, students will examine the DARWIN cluster and how it might aid project development.

Additional Resources

Launch Presentation:
Wrap Presentation: 3

Project Information

genomics
Project Status: Complete
Project Region: CAREERS
Submitted By: Anita Schwartz
Project Email: milton.x.muldrow@wilmu.edu
Project Institution: Wilmington University
Anchor Institution: CR-University of Delaware

Students: Natalie Vazquez Beales

Project Description

This project is predicted to be a multi-semester project to broadly assess genes metabolic function found in both humans, coral (Acropora palmata, A. cervicornis, A. millepora) and the hydra Aiptasia pallida.

The first goal is to train students on basic coral biology, and issues influencing coral decline. Students will also be trained to perform blast analyses.

Second, as a lab, we aim to characterize our own strain of Aiptasia, including:
1. Develop inoculated and bleached strains, along with conducting imaging of the strains.
2. Conduct genetic sequencing of the hydra. This initial goal is to provide gene sequencing training, for both the instructor and student, and gather preliminary sequencing data. This would be a new competency to the lab.
3. Test novel substances on hydra hypothesized to influence both growth rate and bleaching resilience.
This will include development of experimental design.
Aiptasia pallida is a model organism for coral reef studies, and these cnidarians are an interesting potential model organism for humans in comparison to the fruit fly. Implications here include:
* potential insight into coral bleaching mechanisms
* insight into human evolution and assessment of potential model organisms
* development of hydra as a model organisms for both corals and humans. Hydra are already well developed as coral models, although this needs significant development.

Lastly, students will examine the DARWIN cluster and how it might aid project development.

Additional Resources

Launch Presentation:
Wrap Presentation: 3