Dana Blackburn – MSCA Fellow
Dr Dana Blackburn received her Bachelor’s degree in Microbiology from Brigham Young University in Utah (Provo, UT, USA) and her Master’s degree in Medical Sciences from the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL, USA). Her master’s thesis focused on pili assembly and pathogenesis in E. coli. She went on to receive her PhD in Biology from Brigham Young University where she studied the roles of environment, evolution, and genetics in the virulence of the insect pathogenic bacterium Photorhabdus. In her first postdoctoral position at Texas A&M University she investigated the molecular mechanisms of virulence in the oral bacterium Campylobacter rectus. Dr Blackburn received the Marie Skłodowska Curie Fellowship to work with Dr David Clarke in 2016 with a start date of January 2017 to study the symbiotic relationship of an entomopathogenic nematode and its gut bacterium.
Project Title: STEPN-UP: Stilbene and entomopathogenic nematodes: Unlocking the potential
PI: Dr. David J. Clarke
Year of Award: 2016
Description of the project: Bacteria frequently form intimate associations with a eukaryotic host where they may have critical roles in the development, behavior, and/or functions of their animal symbiont. While the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood, there is increasing evidence that the bacteria are employing proteins or molecules to send signals to their host. My goal is to understand the inter-kingdom signalling that occurs between a bacterium and its animal host using, as a model, the interaction between an entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) called Heterorhabditis and its symbiotic bacterium, Photorhabdus. EPNs are soil-dwelling organisms that utilize a bacterial symbiont to kill their insect targets. Photorhabdus produces molecules that are required for nematode growth and development. My project aims to investigate fundamental aspects pertaining to host-symbiont evolution and interactions by: 1) investigating the evolutionary history of symbiotic proteins and the role of branched-chain fatty acids in nematode development, 2) determining the nematode response to internal Photorhabdus, and 3) engineering increased nematode production.
E-mail: dana.blackburn@ucc.ie