Erika Calvo-Ochoa, Ph.D. - US grants

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2018, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. The title of the research plan for this fellowship to Erika Calvo is "The role of neurogenesis in the functional recovery and morphological remodeling of the zebrafish olfactory bulb following lesion." The host institution is Western Michigan University and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Christine Byrd-Jacobs. This project aims to understand the mechanisms of brain repair in zebrafish, an animal with an extraordinary regenerative potential. Specifically, the Fellow is studying the role of the generation of new neurons in brain repair and recovery following damage. This research will advance the current knowledge and understanding of mechanisms of adult brain regeneration, repair and recovery of function following injury, as well as the contribution of newly generated neurons in these processes. Furthermore, this research has implications for improving human health since it could lead to transformative strategies to stimulate neuronal regeneration and integration into damaged brain areas. These strategies could aid to achieve enhanced repair and recovery in injured human brains after stroke and traumatic brain injury. In addition to improving our understanding of the mechanisms of brain repair, the Fellow is broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in biology by actively recruiting, teaching and mentoring young Latino students through promoting a multi-collaborative platform between different Latino advocacy organizations. These outreach activities will assist in the recognition, fostering and advancement of promising Latino scientists that might otherwise be overlooked due to language, cultural and economic barriers, thus broadening their participation in higher education and in biology.

The Fellow is studying the hypothesis that following damage in the olfactory bulb of zebrafish newly generated neurons mature and integrate into lesioned neuronal circuits to repair the tissue and promote recovery of olfactory function. To study this, the Fellow is investigating: 1) loss and recovery of olfactory function after damage of the olfactory bulb, by means of olfactory mediated behavior tasks; 2) repair of the lesioned olfactory bulb, by means of histological, stereological and cellular analysis; and 3) the role of neurogenesis in mediating repair and recovery of olfactory function of the lesioned olfactory bulb, by means of behavioral and histological analysis following specific neurogenesis ablation. This project includes the following training activities for the Fellow: mastering the use of a model of brain regeneration and laboratory technical skills, as well as developing expertise in teaching, mentoring and scientific communication. Furthermore, the Fellow is undertaking wide-ranging mentoring, teaching and outreach activities that will expose students from underrepresented groups, particularly Latinos, to science in order to promote their recruitment and participation in biology.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.