jschandler@ucdavis.edu

http://anguschandler.wordpress.com/

CV

All animals are ubiquitously associated with diverse microbial communities. Previous research has focused on either pathogens or obligate intracellular symbionts, but it is becoming increasingly clear that facultative, non-pathogenic microorganisms are important in shaping host physiology, ecology, and evolution. Although Drosophila is rapidly becoming a strong model for studying host-microbe interactions, we know very little about the microbes that are naturally associated with flies and this information is crucial to designing and interpreting laboratory experiments. My dissertation therefore aims to characterize the microbial symbionts of wild Drosophila. First, using culture-independent Sanger sequencing of the 16S rDNA gene, the bacterial communities associated with 20 natural Drosophila populations were characterized. Analysis of these bacterial communities suggests that host diet plays an important role in shaping the Drosophila microbiome and that the bacteria most commonly used in laboratory studies may not always be the most common associates of wild Drosophila (Chandler et al, 2011). Next, I used 454 sequencing of the fungal large-subunit rDNA gene on the same Drosophila populations of Chandler et al, 2011. Comparing this yeast data to the previous bacterial results allows the unprecedented opportunity to study the distribution of two distinct symbiont groups (yeast and bacteria) in the exact same host populations. Also, given the importance of yeasts to Drosophila physiology, behavior and fitness, it is surprising that no culture-independent survey of Drosophila yeast communities has been conducted and this study will fill this void. Finally, since most studies of the animal-associated microbiome are based upon a single collection per individual or population, my final aim is to determine the dynamics of the Drosophila bacterial microbiome across space and time. During summer 2011, as part of an NSF EAPSI fellowship, I collected mushroom feeding flies from numerous sites across northern Taiwan. Since the same species were collected at several sites and each population was present at each site for several weeks, the spatial and temporal dynamics of the microbiome can be determined.

akopp@ucdavis.edu

http://kopplab.ucdavis.edu

Has not done an honest day’s work in years, which does not stop him from getting in everyone’s way and pushing crazy ideas.

cksotelo@ucdavis.edu

I am a third year undergraduate majoring in Animal Science. I have been a part of the Kopp Lab since Fall 2011. I have assisted Gavin with his research on the cis-regulatory sequence that encodes for doublesex in the cells around the sex combs in Drosophila melanogaster. I am currently working on the cause of sterility in D. mel/ D. sim hybrid males. To do this, I’ve been antibody staining Drosophila  testis. After earning my Animal Science degree, I am hoping to go to UC Davis’s Vet School and become a captive animal veterinarian.

danielarifriedman@gmail.com

I am a 2nd year undergraduate currently majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and have been working in the Kopp lab since Fall 2010. I am interested in the molecular underpinnings of the highly complex consciousness found in animals. Beginning this year, I will be pursuing my own project which will attempt to explain the genetic basis of behavior, especially as it relates to sexually dimorphic sexual circuits in the central nervous system.

plachetzki@ucdavis.edu

http://plachetzki.ucdavis.edu/

My research explores the evolution of novel traits and uses the origins and evolution of the animal sensory systems as a model. I integrate genome, transcriptome, wet lab and behavioral data using phylogenetic methods. I am most interested in taxa like the Cnidaria, which occupy key positions in the animal tree of life.

dluecke@ucdavis.edu

The evolution of biodiversity is facilitated by changes in developmental and gene regulatory networks. I am interested in molecular evolutionary modifications to animal developmental processes, and how these changes result in phenotypic divergence and responses to different modes of selection. My current work explores how novel genetic and developmental interactions have emerged during the evolution of sexually dimorphic chemosensory systems in Drosophila prolongata. Males in this species exhibit an unprecedented 10-fold increase in chemosensory bristles on the foreleg. The developmental regulation of chemosensory bristles, of sex-specificity, and of segment and leg patterning are all well understood in flies, but the integration of these independent sources of information into the derived prolongata phenotype is not well understood. I am using comparative regulatory sequence analysis of key network nodes to determine the mechanisms of expression divergence, and am developing new genetic tools to answer these questions in a non-model species.

dqhoang@ucdavis.edu

I am a second year Microbiology and Genetics double major. I started working in the Kopp lab in summer 2011 and I am currently assisting Joel with his research. So far I have helped with maintaining Drosophila stocks, antibody staining, and sample preparation. I am still uncertain of my particular goals, but I am sure this lab will nurture my current interest in genetics and foster new ideas for my future.

esanchezramos@ucdavis.edu

I am a 3rd year NPB and Spanish double major. Since January 2011, I have worked closely with Gavin and assisted Olga. I have collected samples for genetic mapping, and examined testis development to understand the causes of male sterility in the Drosophila melanogaster x D. simulans hybrids. My goal is to further gain knowledge in the medical field and eventually attend medical school. Although it is not my main goal, my study of genetics will prove valuable in regards to my understanding of the advancement in medicine and how evolutionary changes happen in relatively short time.

grrice@ucdavis.edu

I am interested in the subject of sexual dimorphism, specifically in the phenotypes that are involved in sexual selection. The role of cis-regulatory changes in the gain and loss of sexually dimorphic traits is currently unknown. I am studying how the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) of the gene responsible for controlling sexual dimorphism, doublesex (dsx), may affect the regulation of dsx in the sex combs of Drosophila. I am testing whether regulatory changes at dsx have contributed to the large variability in sex comb morphology in the melanogaster and obscura species groups.

george.zaragoza@gmail.com

I am a fourth year undergraduate student majoring in Biological Sciences, with an emphasis in Evolution, Ecology, and Biodiversity, and am assisting Joel Atallah in his research. I have been part of Kopp lab since Summer 2011 and am interested in the genetic and morphological developments within, and between related, species, how selection has acted on these species, and how these differences affect behavior. Currently, I am working on Drosophilia ovipositor development and aid with a variety of tasks including genetic screening, dissections, staining, and behavioral experiments. After graduation, I plan to do a variety of lab and field work and likely apply to grad school within 1-2 years.

judith.r.wexler@gmail.com

I am a first year graduate student interested in exploring the genetic bases of evolution by natural selection. Broad research areas of interest include the development and expression of sexually dimorphic traits, intralocus sexual antagonism, and variation in sex determination pathways. I’m currently exploring models that will allow me to explore relevant questions within these topics.

lmteixeira@ucdavis.edu

I am a third year undergraduate majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Geology. Through the BUSP program, I have worked in the Kopp lab since January 2011 with Joel Atallah. My research is focused on ovipositor development in Drosophila suzukii, subpulchrella, and biarmipes. With these three species we are looking at the time lapse development of the ovipositor, the genes controlling early genital disc development, and the susceptibility of certain fruits to each species. After completing my undergraduate degree, I plan to go to medical school with hopes of becoming an organ transplant surgeon.

mawittman@ucdavis.edu

I am a third year Genetics major, Forensic Entomology minor and I have been with Kopp Lab since February 2010. Since starting my internship, I have worked with a variety of fly species gaining many skills ranging from fly colony care, maintenance, and crosses to DNA extractions, PCR, gel electrophoresis, and cloning. Currently, I am working on my own project that focuses on the evolution of the doublesex gene in different insect lineages. My project spans different orders of insects including but not limited to: Hemiptera, Homoptera, and Phthiraptera. Upon graduating from UC Davis, I am looking forward to applying to Graduate School to continue studying Genetics or perhaps even Forensic Science, specializing in DNA and Serology.

nnapan@ucdavis.edu

I am a fourth year undergraduate student majoring in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behaviors. I have been a part of Kopp lab for the past two years. I started working with Angus and assisted him in the study of the effect of diet on the microbial community of the gut in Drosophila. I am now assisting Joel Atallah in his research regarding the development and evolution of the Drosophila sex comb. I do this through dissections, antibody stainings, and sample preparations. After graduation I hope to go to medical school and continue my education in Oncology.

oybarmina@ucdavis.edu

The sex comb is a morphological structure on the first leg of some Drosophila males that consists of modified mechanosensory bristles. It is a recent evolutionary innovation and plays an important role in courtship and mating. I am interested in the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the origin of morphologically different sex combs. Novel interactions between HOX and sex determination genes seem to play a key role in sex comb evolution – see our 2011 PLoS Biology paper. I am now starting a new project that could help understand the role of sex-specific regulation of Scr in sex comb evolution.

pmjames@ucdavis.edu

I am a 3rd year genetics major with recent ambitions of going to vet school here at UC Davis. I have been a part of Kopp Lab since Fall 2008, and have been working closely with Angus since then. I am interested in determining the effect of host genotype and diet on the microbial community of the gut. This community aids in the digestion of food, provides its host with important vitamins and helps protect the intestines from pathogens. In the past it has been determined that host genotype and diet are important in shaping the bacterial communities, but disentangling these two factors will allow for a greater understanding of the evolutionary history of Drosophila and its bacterial symbionts, as well as provide insight into the specific roles they play in the gut.

jrsalazar@ucdavis.edu

I am a 3rd year Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior major and Nutrition and Food minor. I have been a part of the Kopp lab since Fall 2011 assisting Joel Atallah in analyzing the role certain genes have in sex-comb development. My current research revolves around a recently introduced invasive Drosophila pest, D. suzukii,  that has caused many agricultural problems for certain fruit crops in the US. Specifically, I focus on the ovipositor, or egg-laying organ, that has underwent an evolutionary change in morphology allowing the fruitfly to puncture the skin of undamaged fruit and lay its eggs. After my Undergraduate career, I aim to move onto medical school to receive an MD so I can give back to the underserved communities I grew up in, since they shaped the person I am today.

xxie@ucdavis.edu

I am a fourth year undergraduate research double majoring in Genetics and Psychology. My work includes antibody staining, sample preparation, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging, and other experiments in Drosophila prolongata. We have been looking at the sexual dimorphism and its developmental basis in this species. I’m interested in becoming a genetic counselor and the knowledge and experience I had in this lab will benefit me in my future career.

sasignor@ucdavis.edu

CV

The genetic basis of morphological differentiation between species and higher order groups has long been one of the central questions in evolutionary biology. Numerous studies have investigated different aspects of this question; however, they proceeded on a case by case basis, thus precluding the formation of any generalization about the genetic basis of evolution. In this respect, cases of parallel evolution in closely related taxa present a unique opportunity to investigate the genetic basis of phenotypic evolution. My dissertation research explores this issue through investigation into the gain and/or loss of sexually dimorphic pigmentation in closely related groups of Drosophila. I intend to identify the specific genes and types of changes involved in several cases of phenotypic evolution—utilizing a variety of approaches from molecular biology and bioinformatics—in order to characterize the evolution of this genetic pathway across this group of drosophilids. This will be relevant to the search for trends in the evolution of traits, questions with regard to whether gene regulatory network architecture biases evolution, and if change is contingent upon mutational events.