2008-2009 University Scholar Profile
Carly N. Ferguson
Mentor: Rebecca Kimball
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
"I applied to the University Scholars Program to receive funding for my research project. I would like to be a part of the current effort to shed more light on the evolution of birds, a focus I have come to know and love from working in my mentor’s molecular phylogenetics lab for the past year and a half. I am hoping to learn more about scientific writing and presentations along with submission to scientific journals and the reviewing and revising process. I am also really looking forward to learning about research in different areas of study, such as the liberal arts, as all of my research experience has been in the sciences."
Courses of Study
Major
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Microbiology and Cell Science, Chemistry, Greek Studies
Research Interests
Molecular phylogenetics and evolutionary biology, both in dealing with birds
Awards
- Dean’s List - 2005
- Salutatorian
- Science fair awards, regional and state divisions
- Math competition awards, regional, state, and national levels
- National Merit Commended Scholar
- University of Florida Honors College
- "Most Likely to Cure Cancer" by the Directors Board for the 2007-2008 school year
Volunteer Service / Organizations
- President, premedical chapter of the University of Florida American Medical Student Association
- Equal Access Clinic Volunteer
- Teaching Assistant, Analytical Chemistry laboratory
- Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Professions in Medicine
Future Goals
To spend next summer in Africa, performing HIV/AIDS relief
Hobbies/Activities
Running, kayaking, traveling
Research Description
Evolution of Avian Sex Chromosomes
Mammalian X and Y sex chromosomes do not recombine however, research has shown that Z and W sex chromosomes do recombine in basal birds, such as ostrich and emus. Previous research in three groups of birds only showed at least three independent barriers to recombination in more modern birds. However, the limited number of species examined make it difficult to determine exactly how many times barriers to recombination arose. I am studying a gene present on both Z and W chromosomes to address how many independent barriers to recombination have arisen in avian sex chromosomes. This invovles DNA extraction from females of many different species (females have both Z and W chromosomes), amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the target gene from each species. Successful amplifications will be cloned to separate the Z and W copies. Sequences of multiple clones will be compared. Species with two distinct variants will indicate Z and W sex chromosomes of significant difference (thus a barrier to recombination at the target genes), while species with one contig will indicate Z and W sex chromosomes of high similarity (thus no barrier to recombination at the target gene). Eventually, complete sequences of all variants obtained will be compared across all studied species Once completed, this data could be used to evaluate the number of times that barriers to recombaination have arisen in birds, and when these events occurred in avian evolutionary history. Although we have data about when barriers to recombination have arisen in mammalian history (Lahn and Page 1999), we have not had data available from other groups to compare with patterns obtained in mammals.
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