Grant Gray UCLA Research: A Diverse Landscape of Inquiry
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) stands as a prominent hub for groundbreaking research across a multitude of disciplines. Supported by grants and driven by the curiosity of students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty, UCLA's research endeavors contribute significantly to our understanding of the world and address pressing global challenges. This article will spotlight some of the diverse research projects undertaken at UCLA, highlighting the breadth of inquiry and the dedication of the researchers involved.
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology: Unraveling the Complexities of Life
UCLA's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology is a hotbed for research into the intricate relationships between organisms and their environment. Several grant-funded projects exemplify this focus.
Investigating Species Interactions and Habitat Selection
Janine Fischer, a Ph.D. candidate co-advised by Dr. Grether and Dr. Shier, is investigating the effects of interspecific competition on habitat use by Stephens’ kangaroo rat. This research seeks to understand how competition between species influences habitat selection, a crucial factor in species survival and community structure. A related study by Samantha Snowden, a Master’s student co-advised by Greg Grether and Debra Shier, is characterizing interactions between mountain yellow-legged frog and unarmored threespine stickleback fish to assess the potential for their coexistence. Understanding these interactions is vital for conservation efforts aimed at preserving biodiversity.
Examining the Impact of Urbanization on Wildlife
Urbanization presents numerous challenges to wildlife, and UCLA researchers are actively investigating these impacts. Madeleine Zuercher, a Ph.D. candidate advised by Greg Grether and Debra Shier, is studying the impacts of domestic dogs on gray fox behaviors in the Santa Monica Mountains. This research sheds light on how human activities can alter animal behavior and ecology. Further exploring the effects of urbanization, several researchers in the Yeh Lab are focusing on dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis). Sara Freimuth, an M.S. student, is investigating the effects of urbanization on gut microbial communities in these birds. Wilmer Amaya-Mejia, a Ph.D. student, is studying urbanization effects on the disease ecology of dark-eyed juncos, specifically examining haemosprodian infections. Vivien Enriquez, a Ph.D. student in the Yeh Laboratory, is examining the effects of urbanization on the diet, gut microbiome, and prevalence of antibiotic resistance in the dark-eyed junco. Eleanor Diamont, also from the Yeh Lab, is researching urban Dark-eyed Junco adaptation across multiple novel environments. Carolyn Xue, a master’s student in the Yeh Lab, is making Comparisons in Patterns of Antibiotic Resistance Bacteria Between Urban and Non-urban Populations of Dark-Eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis).
Assessing the Effects of Environmental Change
Environmental changes, such as wildfires and drought, pose significant threats to ecosystems. Chloe Nouzille, an M.S. student co-advised by Dr. Dan Blumstein and Dr. Seth Riley, is studying wildlife post-Woolsey Fire recovery and recolonization. This research provides valuable insights into how ecosystems recover from disturbances. Rachel Turba de Paula, a Ph.D. candidate, is investigating post-fire impact on biological community of coastal lagoons in southern California. Nidhi Vinod, a Ph.D. student in Dr. Lawren Sack and Dr. studies Physiological mechanisms enabling species survival of drought in southern California. Evelin Escobedo, an Undergraduate in the Environmental Science Department, is Exploring the role of plant maternal effects in response to drought in restoration. Camila Medeiros, a PhD Student, is working Toward a conservation physiology of Californian flora: assessing drought vulnerability across species and ecosystems.
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Exploring Novel Approaches to Conservation
UCLA researchers are also developing innovative tools and techniques for conservation. Maya Chari, a senior Computational Biology student, is Characterizing the Evolutionary History of Southern California UC Reserves with an Integrated Computational Approach. Tanner Waters, a doctoral student, is Using Environmental DNA to Assess the Community Composition of Eelgrass Meadows in Santa Monica Bay and Catalina Island. Elijah Catalan, a Ph.D. student, is Monitoring of artificial reef restoration in Palos Verdes using eDNA. Zack Gold, a Ph.D. Candidate in Professor Paul Barber’s lab, is Utilizing environmental DNA to understand its efficacy to detect rare fish and the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas. Maura Palacios, a Postdoctoral Scholar in the Wayne Lab, is working on Environmental DNA as a tool for assessing microbial diversity & ecological impacts by contaminants at The Bowtie parcel Brownfield site in Southern California.
Investigating Plant Ecology and Physiology
Plant ecology and physiology are also key areas of research at UCLA. Nikita Burger, an undergraduate student, is using Hyperspectral Imaging for California Plant Ecology. Anna Ongjoco, a Ph.D student co-advised by Dr. Elsa Ordway at UCLA and Dr., is studying Hydraulic function and carbon metabolism of three southern California oak species. Laurel Thomas, an undergraduate student, is Investigating Local Adaptation of Heteromeles arbutifolia using a Common Garden Approach. Alannah Linden, a atmospheric and oceanic sciences / mathematics major, is Tracking changes in photosynthetic activity of native California plants. Bowen Wang, an undergraduate student, is Modeling the impact of invasive annual grasses on wildfire behaviors in Southern California. Gaurav S. Kandlikar, a PhD candidate, is Quantifying the effects of soil microbes on California annual plant community dynamics. Ariel Pezner is researching Drought Influence on Chlorophyll Fluorescence in Evergreen and Deciduous Plant Species of Southern California. Katja Grossman is researching Ground-based remote sensing of Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence of evergreen and drought-deciduous plants at the UCLA Stunt Ranch Santa Monica Mountains Reserve. Jacqueline Zhang, an Undergraduate in Environmental Science Department, is working on “Global-Change-Type Drought” Effects on the Metaplasticity of Native California Plant Species: Implications for Restoration. Alexandria Pivovaroff, Ph.D, is Deploying Arable ‘PulsePod’ Sensors to Continuously and Remotely Monitor Plant Stress.
Studying Animal Behavior and Ecology
Animal behavior and ecology are also the subject of much research. Sean O'Fallon, a Ph.D. student in the Pinter-Wollman lab, is Determining the drivers of collective behavior in Veromessor harvester ants at the UC Sedgwick natural reserve and Assessing the determinants of collective behavior of seed dispersing ants at the UC Sedgwick natural reserve. Lily Rivas, an undergraduate student, is studying Effects of artificial lighting at night on bats in Los Angeles County. Jill Carpenter, a Ph.D., is asking Is Prey Availability a Factor in the Decline of a Bat Species in Southern California that is Synanthropic in the Rest of its Range? Maddie Zuercher, a hD student, is Investigating ringtail ecology and behavior in the Santa Monica Mountains. Richard Hedley is Tracking migration of Cassin’s Vireo: identifying wintering grounds and assessing the impact of brood parasitism on migratory movements. Yi-Ju Wang is researching Spectral Overlap and Temporal Avoidance among Singing Birds. Rachel Chock is investigating Temporal and Spatial Niche Partitioning in a Small Mammal Community. Tiffany Armenta is Using Citizen Science to Assess Urban Carnivore Communities in Los Angeles. Brigit Harvey is studying Influence of Previous Exposure on Seed Preference in the endangered Pacific pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus).
Investigating Aquatic Ecosystems
Aquatic ecosystems are also under investigation. Erica Ro, an undergraduate student, is Investigating Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis prevalence in a fragile vernal pool ecosystem. Candice Cross, a Ph.D. student, is Characterizing community biodiversity of eelgrass (Zostera marina) in the Port of LA surrounding a localized dredging event. Regina Zweng, a Ph.D. student, is asking Does Eutrophication First Drive “Basification” Then Acidification in California Estuaries? Tiara Moore is asking Can large algal blooms associated with eutrophication and microbial respiration lead to estuarine acidification in Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve? Emily Ryznar, a PhD Student, is Assessing mechanisms that facilitate the success of the invasive brown alga, Sargassum horneri, and enhance community susceptibility to invasion and is investigating Crustose coralline algae (CCA) as a facilitator species assemblage: investigating CCA’s role in structuring marine communities.
Addressing Conservation Challenges
Conservation efforts are also a focus. Robert Cooper, a PhD student, is Managing Pond Hydroperiod to Reverse Invasive Tiger Salamander Introgression and Using Pond Hydroperiod to Attenuate the Spread of Invasive Tiger Salamander Alleles. Erin Toffelmier, a Ph.D. student, is Identifying Drivers of Recent Recruitment Failures in California Tiger Salamanders in Santa Barbara County and is researching Urban ecology meets citizen science: monitoring reptile diversity and measuring landscape genetic connectivity in the Los Angeles area and Effects of urbanization and habitat fragmentation in native reptiles. Brenton Spies, a Ph.D. candidate, is studying Community and ecosystem responses to physical processes - assessment of closure dynamics in California coastal wetlands and Modeling Rangewide Metapopulation Viability and Persistence of the Endangered Tidewater Goby (Eucyclogobius newberryi): Implications for Long-term Conservation and Management. Kelly Barr, a PhD Student, is Developing Genomic Resources to Inform Conservation and Management of the Tricolored Blackbird (Agelaius tricolor).
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Studying Disease and Parasites
Disease and parasites in wildlife are also being investigated. Amanda Tokoyama, a graduate student, is conducting Assessment of Helminth Biodiversity in Los Angeles County Coyotes through Fecal Meta-barcoding. Meixi Lin, a Ph.D. student, and Ana Garcia Vedrenne, a Ph.D., are using DNA meta-barcoding to inform management for parasite infecting endemic San Miguel Island foxes. Sarah Helman, a Ph.D., is conducting Intestinal pathogen surveillance in Los Angeles region mammals and Understanding the persistence of Leptospira interrogans in California’s coastal wildlife: uncovering cryptic contributors in a complex multi-host disease system.
Other areas of research
Other areas of research include:
- May Jiang, a Biology undergraduate, Investigating the Transient Effects of Ocular Blood Sampling on Sceloporus Occidentalis.
- Madeleine Pacheco, a PhD student, Integrating Environmental DNA and Epigenetics as a Novel Approach for Age Classification of Zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a Model Organism.
- Stella Yuan, a Ph.D. student, studying DNA methylation variation as a mechanism to alleviate inbreeding depression in the island fox (Urocyon littoralis).
- Ioana Anghel, a Ph.D. Candidate, researching Evolution of floral scent variation in Linanthus and Investigating divergence with gene flow in the plant genus Linanthus.
- Benjamin Ha, a Ph.D. student, “Fishing” out the exomes of the federally endangered tidewater gobies to identify potential genes under selection.
- Jessie George, Using Plant Remains from the La Brea Tar Pits to Assess the Impact of Climate Change on Community Ecology and Extinction in the Los Angeles Basin.
- Scott Lydon, Understanding carbon sequestration and climatic variability in alpine wet meadows of Yosemite National Park, California.
- Lauren Smith, Does wrack of an invasive alga provide a similar resource subsidy as giant kelp for supporting key ecosystem functions on sandy beaches?
- Monica Dimson, a Ph.D. Student, Detection of incipient, invasive Ambrosia Beetles using species distribution models.
- Kevin Neal, Landscape genomics of the western spadefoot toad, Spea hammondii, in the Natural Reserve of Orange County, California.
Uncovering Potential Treatments for Neurodegenerative Diseases
Beyond ecological studies, UCLA researchers are making strides in understanding and treating human diseases. In a groundbreaking study, UCLA chemists and molecular biologists have employed a "structure-based" approach to drug design to identify compounds that could potentially delay or treat Alzheimer's disease, as well as other neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's disease.
Structure-Based Drug Design: A Novel Approach
This innovative approach utilizes the physical structure of a targeted protein to identify compounds that will interact with it. In this case, the researchers focused on amyloid fibrils, elongated protein molecules that form in the brains of patients with these diseases. Armed with a precise knowledge of the atomic structure of the amyloid-beta protein, the team conducted a computational screening of 18,000 compounds.
Promising Results: Identifying Potential Therapeutic Agents
The screening process identified compounds that showed the strongest potential for binding to the amyloid-beta protein. These compounds were then tested for their efficacy in blocking the aggregation of amyloid-beta and for their ability to protect mammalian cells from the protein's toxic effects. Ultimately, the researchers identified eight compounds and three compound derivatives that had a significant effect. While these compounds did not reduce the amount of protein aggregates, they were found to reduce the protein's toxicity and to increase the stability of amyloid fibrils.
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Implications for Alzheimer's Research
These findings lend further evidence to the theory that smaller assemblies of amyloid-beta known as oligomers, and not the fibrils themselves, are the toxic agents responsible for Alzheimer's symptoms. The researchers hypothesize that by binding snugly to the protein, the identified compounds may be preventing these smaller oligomers from breaking free of the amyloid-beta fibrils, thus keeping toxicity in check. This research presents a new approach for identifying proteins that bind to amyloid fibrils, which could have broad applications for treating many diseases.
Training Grants: Cultivating the Next Generation of Researchers
UCLA is committed to training the next generation of researchers through various training grant programs. These programs provide funds to institutions to train cohorts of researchers in targeted research areas.
Interdisciplinary Training in Biopsychosocial Bases of Health and Illness
UCLA's faculty has established programs of research on the reciprocal links between psychological and physical health and disease, providing superb venues for research experience. The faculty is composed of scholars with expertise in psychoneuroimmunology, stress, coping, and social support processes, health behavior and behavior change, social neuroscience, and ethnic, racial, and sociocultural aspects of health. Research opportunities are available in cancer, pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and heart disease, as well as healthy populations.
Burroughs Wellcome Fund Inter-school Training Program in Chronic Diseases (BWF-CHIP)
The BWF-CHIP, directed by Dr. Beate Ritz and Dr. Thomas Drake, provides training in laboratory and population sciences to integrate research along the entire continuum from molecules to populations. This program is open to all UCLA graduate students (PhD, MD) who seek to apply advanced genomic, molecular, population-based, and quantitative methods to the study of disease distribution in human populations.
Training Program in Population Studies
The training program in population studies plays a central role in CCPR-coordinated training at UCLA. It builds on strong graduate programs in sociology, economics, and public health, and aims to train the next generation of population scientists to carry out theoretically informed, methodologically sophisticated research on topics of contemporary relevance that relate to population studies.
UCLA/Caltech integrated Theranostic Engineering to Advance Metabolic Medicine (iTEAM) Program
The UCLA/Caltech iTEAM Program represents a new paradigm that will be formalized into a 2-year, structured curriculum with an emphasis on recruiting the under-represented post-doctoral engineers or physical scientists into leadership roles in academia and industry. The program is partnering with industry leaders for internship, mentorship, and leadership programs.
Cancer Epidemiology Training Program
The Cancer Epidemiology Training Program provides trainees with rigorous coursework and applied research experiences in cancer epidemiology, integrating epidemiology, statistics, and biology. The program aims to train predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees in an interdisciplinary program of cancer molecular genetic epidemiologic research.
Clinical Cardiology Training Programs
UCLA offers two training tracks in clinical cardiology: the Clinical Training track and the Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) track. The STAR program is intended for physicians committed to academic careers and offers intensive research training.
Chemistry-Biology Interface Training Grant
The UCLA Chemistry-Biology Interface training grant provides rigorous research training, professional development, and mentoring to a diverse group of predoctoral students in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment. Students are trained in the language and techniques of biological and chemical sciences, and gain experience in solving complex issues in the realms of chemistry, pharmacology, and the medical sciences.
UCLA CTSI TL1 Translational Science Fellowship
The UCLA CTSI TL1 Translational Science Fellowship is awarded to incoming pre-doctoral students in the Department of Health Policy and Management in the UCLA School of Public Health. Fellows receive mentored training to ensure the translational nature of their dissertation projects. The UCLA CTSI TL1 Summer Fellowship is for health professional students (medical, nursing and dental) during their training, providing early exposure to the practice of interdisciplinary, community-partnered translational or health services research in urban underserved communities.
Clinical Informatics Fellowship
The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and UCLA Health offer a two-year fellowship in Clinical Informatics (CI), focusing on health information technology within health care delivery systems.
KL2 Award Program
The KL2 Award Program develops leaders in clinical research. Candidates are junior faculty from CTSI partner institutions.
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