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How a plague from 1,500 years ago—long a reputed ancestor to the notorious Black Death—found its way back to relevance is a story of high science intersecting with a distinctly human touch, and parts of it played out at the Microbial Genetics and Genomics laboratory at Northern Arizona University.

“To be able to go back and answer one of the great unanswered questions in history is extremely satisfying,” said MGGen Associate Director Dave Wagner, who was co-author of a study published in the prestigious journal PLOS Pathogens. “It’s some of the most fun I’ve had in academics.”

The project’s outcome resolves what had been an ongoing academic debate: The Justinianic Plague that started in A.D. 541 can indeed be placed on the family tree of the disease, linking it to the well-known pandemic of the 14th–17th centuries, and finally to a third pandemic that began around 1850.

The implications resonate both with history and with civilization today. Not only is the first pandemic tied to the other two, but it almost certainly began in Asia—not in Africa, as previously thought. And any deeper understanding of the disease (known technically as Yersinia pestis), which has potential as a bioterror weapon, makes our world a little safer.

Wagner recounts the two-year-long sequence of events with the ease of a narrator who played a pivotal role in the outcome. His decade of experience working with plague activity in northern Arizona, initially among prairie dogs, helped establish the reputation of MGGen as a world-class center of expertise on the topic.

That led to an ongoing collaboration between Wagner and colleagues at the Bundeswehr Institute of Microbiology in Munich, who, together with individuals from State Collection for Anthropology and Palaeoanatomy in Munich, led the overall study. Much of their joint work is funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which Wagner said is interested in techniques that could be used following a bioterrorism event to identify the agent and determine its origins.

Paul Keim, director of MGGen and a co-author, said “international plague collaborations are increasingly difficult due to government regulations restricting material exchanges. This work succeeded through team perseverance and the electronic exchange of data.”

After the discovery of an ancient burial site near Munich, Wagner and MGGen were brought in by the Germans as experts on plague DNA genotyping. The age of the remains presented an opportunity to answer the historical debate by extracting some of the teeth, grinding them up and searching for traces of Y. pestis DNA.

But there the story adds a layer of complexity.

“We realized that for the results to be accepted by the scientific community, we couldn’t do the work in this laboratory,” Wagner said.

Ironically, MGGen’s status and reputation in plague DNA research meant it would not withstand the scrutiny of experts in ancient DNA, a field that demands its own set of protocols and protections against contamination by modern DNA. The highly critical community had rejected an earlier study about the Justinianic Plague because, in part, it did not meet their extraordinary standards.

Yet in the end, MGGen did contribute because two research associates under Wagner’s guidance combined to form a team that blended thoughtful creativity with meticulous technical skills.

Dawn Birdsell and Katy Parise rose to the challenge of working with ancient DNA, and while playing their part in a centuries-long chronicle of science and history, they made a little of their own.

To advise the German scientists by generating their own results, the pair needed to rethink MGGen’s procedures and capabilities to address two daunting obstacles: the fragility of the ancient DNA samples and the uncompromising protocols of analyzing them.

During long nights of contemplation, Birdsell, with a Ph.D. in physiology and a noted talent for genotyping, imagined each step of an elaborate, systematic approach to assaying ancient DNA in a lab designed for the modern stuff. She knew that even the most minor details would face severe skepticism.

“These samples are so ancient that they’re in the range where our technology has certain limitations,” Birdsell said. She redesigned the lab’s protocol, then engineered a process to assure the process was working properly while avoiding the risk of contamination. The resulting strategy was her own, and had never been published.

“This is a profession that really is 50 percent creativity and 50 percent linear and logical,” Birdsell said, which is precisely why she recruited Parise, who was finishing her MS in biology at NAU while working on the project. “It was my observation that she was a meticulous, careful technician,” Birdsell said.

As Parise put it, “I think it just makes sense to do the absolute best you can the first time, so I take my time, I think about things and I don’t rush. We didn’t have the time to make any mistakes and the samples were way too precious.”

Ultimately, after Parise’s efforts to confirm all the protocols through lab experiments, Birdsell handled the ancient samples.

“I was always very clear that I would process the final sample because I wanted the responsibility on me,” Birdsell said. “It also motivated me. You just execute and stick with the planning and don’t deviate.”

When the analysis turned up ancient plague DNA, the two knew their work had paid off. When their collaborators’ two labs in Germany—labs specifically designed for the work—confirmed the results, “we were pretty thrilled,” Birdsell said. “If anything, it’s a story of what a successful team can produce.”

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E-mail your announcements to Inside@nau.edu, or use our online submission form.

• NAU’s Army ROTC Program commissioned 11 new second lieutenants during a ceremony last week, signifying the students’ graduation from the university and transition to full-time military service. NAU’s Office of Military and Veteran Affairs also reported 123 student veterans graduated this spring.
• Rosemary Papa, the Del and Jewel Lewis Endowed Chair in Learning Centered Leadership and professor of educational leadership, co-hosted a meeting of international scholars working toward improving educational opportunities for girls around the globe. The Flagstaff Seminar, Educational Leaders without Borders, met in San Francisco on May 1. Among the 18 educators who attended were Michael Sampson, dean of the College of Education, and Richard Brown, adjunct professor of educational statistics.
• Catholic Charities Community Service has named Salvador Bernabe, a volunteer with NAU’s Civic Service Institute Foster Grandparent program, as its 2013 Volunteer of the Year. Bernabe will be presented with the Helen Shea Service Award this week in Phoenix. He has volunteered at Westside Head Start in Phoenix since 2007. Read more about Bernabe in the Glendale Star.
• NAU’s Housing and Residence Life recently partnered with Mac-Gray Campus Solutions to become one of the first higher education institutions in Arizona to implement a carbon neutral laundry program for residence halls. NAU is one of 47 colleges and universities in 17 states participating in the Lighten Our Load initiative, which provides free installation of water and energy efficient laundry machines. The new appliances are expected to offset nearly 800,000 pounds of carbon dioxide produced annually by NAU residents.

The post In the Spotlight: May 17, 2013 appeared first on NAU News.

A free workshop on autism spectrum disorders will include a special screening of Vectors of Autism, an award-winning documentary produced by Northern Arizona University professor Susan Marks.

The workshop will be held 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, in room 200 of the Eastburn Education building at NAU. Marks, a professor of special education who teaches courses on autism, will be joined by co-presenter Laura Nagle, an adult with autism who was featured in the documentary.

Those attending will hear introductory information about autism and will have the opportunity to ask questions. RSVP to Susan.Marks@nau.edu if you plan to attend. The workshop includes a short lunch break, although lunch will not be provided.

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It’s what he needed to transition from a detour back to a dream, and the first part of his dream will be realized when he receives his undergraduate degree in biology during NAU-Yuma’s commencement ceremony today.

Vermont knew as a child growing up in Yuma that he wanted to be a marine biologist. He saw the ocean much like people view space beyond our solar system, a whole other realm we know little about.

“There is not a terribly romantic reason I wanted to become a marine biologist,” Vermont said. “I was just fascinated with dolphins and whales.”

As he got older, he kept hearing there was no money in marine biology, so he looked for a more practical career path. Vermont completed his associate’s degree at Arizona Western College. After a brief stop at Arizona State University studying kinesiology and psychology, he enrolled in the biology program at NAU-Yuma.

Vermont imagined his future in medicine, but opportunities began presenting themselves in the field of marine biology. In the summer of 2011, he was selected for a National Science Foundation undergraduate research experience with Bigelow Laboratories for Ocean Sciences in Boothbay, Maine.

The next summer he earned a second NSF research grant with the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras, and scholarships to present his work at the national conference of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography. His research focus: marine microbiology, ocean chemistry and zooplankton ecology.

Then, in August 2012, the unexpected happened—Vermont lost his job of two years, and with one remaining semester of coursework, his plans were turned upside down. The balances in his checking and savings accounts were nearing zero. Two weeks later, a call came in from his mentor from Bigelow Laboratories offering him a full-time research technician position. Some 3,000 miles away, a dream job waited for him, and it would force him to leave behind everything he’d ever known, and officially abandon the path to practicing medicine.

“When the job offer to work in Maine came up, I literally could not afford to say no,” Vermont said. “It was serendipitous, like the universe was forcing me on the right path. Sometimes we see events like losing a job as bad, not knowing they are preparing us for something incredible.”

He finished his coursework in the fall and accepted a full-time position as a research technician with Bigelow Laboratories. He currently studies zooplankton ecology, which encompasses different topics like ocean acidification, viral infection, molecular biology and neurophysiology.

“What I dreamt of being as a kid I am doing and I’ve never been happier,” he said. ”My hope is to eventually focus my own research on helping protect our coral reefs as well as understanding the relationships between organisms like dolphins and whales and their normal microbial flora.”

Vermont will walk in NAU-Yuma’s commencement ceremony Friday and deliver a speech on dreams deferred and realized.

“Completing my bachelor’s degree only signifies a first step,” Vermont said. “There is so much more I want to accomplish. It’s more of a beginning than anything else.”

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The 14 members of the Class of 2013 will don caps and gowns to mark the special occasion with a hometown ceremony May 31 at the Wyndham Garden Inn in Prescott Valley.

The seniors received their diplomas during the Extended Campuses spring commencement ceremony in Flagstaff.

Since opening its doors in the fall of 2010, NAU-Yavapai’s innovative programming and community feel has attracted a diverse group of students looking for quality education at an affordable cost.

The campus’ year-round calendar and structured degree plan allows students to earn a bachelor’s degree in three years, saving more than $20,000 in tuition compared to other four-year degree programs in the state. Students have a choice of four degrees: Entrepreneurship, Service Industry Management, Community Development and Sustainability and Applied Human Behavior.

Alexander Maynard, who received his B.A. in Entrepreneurship, praised the school’s innovative approach to learning, particularly the hybrid-learning format that pairs online activities with face-to-face classroom instruction.

“With advances in technology, hybrid learning is an interactive method that fits a variety of individual needs and makes use of valuable time and resources,” Maynard said. “It was especially helpful in allowing me to effectively manage my school and work schedules.”

While NAU-Yavapai’s affordability was a big draw for the 25-year-old, who graduated without any student debt, its sense of community is what resonates most for the budding entrepreneur.

“My experience here has been life-changing. My introduction to members of the community has led to mentorship, scholarship and internship opportunities. Without these relationships and their investment in me, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Susan Johnstad, assistant vice president and campus executive officer for NAU-Yavapai, echoed Maynard’s sentiments, noting the strong collaboration between professors, staff and students.

“Everyone played a part in pioneering this educational model,” said Johnstad. “Our graduates will go forth with the problem solving, communications, project management and other critical workplace skills needed to succeed and make a difference in the region and beyond.”

Maynard, who recently completed a legislative internship with Andy Tobin, speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, is excited to utilize the skills aquired at NAU-Yavapai. He hopes to launch a venture that will address community needs and improve the quality of life for residents in the Prescott region.

As for the Yavapai campus, he sees a bright future ahead with a bustling campus filled with Arizona’s brightest. “This is a place where students can discuss ideas, achieve their goals and above all else, grow as individuals. Everyone is invested in each other as we grow, as the campus grows.”

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Rudolph Carl Gorman, called the “Picasso of American Indian Art,” attended the Flagstaff campus in the 1950s and received an honorary doctorate from the university in 1990. Gorman died in 2005.

“I’m thankful the legacy of my brother will carry on here in Flagstaff and at NAU,” said Donna Gormon Scott, sister of the late Native American artist, who also noted her family’s deep ties to the institution. “R.C. went here as did two of my daughters, and now my grandson, who will graduate next May.”

Lomayumtewa Ishii, chair of Applied Indigenous Studies, said he is grateful for the opportunities the funds will provide. At the family’s request, $25,000 will go toward an endowed scholarship fund in Applied Indigenous Studies.

“On behalf of the university, our faculty and students, I’d like to thank the Gorman family and Foundation for their generosity,” said Ishii. “I look forward to expanding our scholarship program and applying it to indigenous communities where it is needed most.”

The R.C. Gorman gallery also donated six Gorman lithographs that will be displayed as part of Cline Library’s Special Collections.

Following the presentation, Gorman family members joined university representatives to attend the 18th Native American Convocation and celebrate the 170 Native American students graduating.

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She fell in love with the campus during a visit her sister had scheduled while touring multiple universities. Carrillo will graduate Friday from NAU with two bachelor’s degrees: one in speech language sciences and technology and a second in Spanish.

Carrillo’s future career path will mirror her student activities—involvement in the community, a desire to help others and a drive to bring people together. She found a resource in LEADS Center, which offers students advising, mentoring and cultural celebrations and houses the Inclusion and Multicultural Services and Student Support Services.

“Sometimes it’s hard to connect with my parents because I’m the first to go to college, even though they’ve always strived for us to get a college education,” Carrillo said. “That’s why I connected with the LEADS Center. They bring you under their wing and give you advice.”

Carrillo jumped right in as a freshman, volunteering to serve as one of the university’s first mentors in the Fostering Success program at NAU. In addition to working as a mentor and orientation leader, she joined the Gamma Alpha Omega sorority because it was known for community service. Carrillo also helped found the United Greek Council to join NAU’s fraternities and sororities to create a more focused, joint community service effort.

Carrillo leaves NAU with a plan to earn a certificate in speech language pathology. She has her eyes set on graduate school and possibly a return to NAU, where she found a home among friends and supportive faculty.

“The enthusiasm shown by my professors not only surprised me but also motivated me to try harder,” Carrillo said. “We were always asked ‘what can we do better?’”

Carrillo hopes to meet that challenge when someday she opens a bilingual therapy center to tackle the language barriers that impede patients’ opportunities to receive proper care.

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Do you have a spotlight item to share with the NAU community?

E-mail your announcements to Inside@nau.edu, or use our online submission form.

• 

  Pictured from left: John Tingerthal and Stephen Mead, professors of civil engineering, construction management and environmental engineering, NAU Provost Laura Huenneke, and Dave Woods, executive director of the Beavers Heavy Engineering Construction Association.

  NAU Construction Management recently received a $50,000 gift from the Beavers Heavy Engineering Construction Association to fund an endowed scholarship for students interested in pursuing careers in the fields of heavy construction and civil engineering. NAU joins 40 other higher education institutions recognized by the association for outstanding construction management programs.

• Ann Marie Chischilly, executive director of NAU’s Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals has been named a member of a newly created federal advisory committee that will provide guidance about the Interior Department’s climate change adaptation science initiatives. Sue Wotkyns, ITEP climate change manager, will be an alternate. Twenty-five committee members were selected from more than 100 nominations received by the Interior Department. Members represent Interior and other federal agencies; tribal, state, and local governments; nongovernmental organizations; academic institutions; and the private sector.
• Levi Esquerra, program director for NAU’s Center for American Indian Economic Development, received the 2013 Economic Development Distinguished by Excellence Award in Tribal Community by the Arizona Association for Economic Development during the association’s annual conference at Tucson’s Loews Ventana Canyon Resort May 2.
• Rodrigo de Toledo, associate professor of visual communication, had his short video/animation called Hollow Null exhibited at these international events:
  • ResExtenza, contemporary art exhibition at the Living Gallery in Lecce, Italy, from September 2012 through April, 2013
  • Viewpoints 2013, contemporary art exhibition at the Aljira, a Center for Contemporary Art, in Newark, New Jersey, April 10 through May 4, where his project received an honorable mention.
  • Fifth FIVAC, International Video Art Festival of Camagüey, Cuba. Part of the Hybrid Identities Cuba, from April 24-28
  • Hybrid Identities/UK, exhibition at the Old Ambulance Depot in Edinburgh, UK, March 29-30.

  The video is a whimsical adaptation from part of de Toledo’s illustrated book, Chronicles of Entanglement, about the search for identity and integration in a foreign land—the search for creative balance, beauty and the muse. He also composed the video’s original music, and shot footage in downtown Flagstaff. Watch the video.

• A research project contributed to by Jim Sample, professor of geology, recently reached a milestone when the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology research vessel Kairei successfully retrieved sensors from the deepest borehole observatory ever installed. The Kairei carried out the complex sequence of operations in the Japan Trench at a depth of 7,000 meters. Sample sailed on the Kairei a year ago and collected samples from the fault for further analysis.
• NAU’s GEAR UP college access program has had two of its graduates selected into the prestigious GEAR UP Alumni Leadership Academy. Tucson resident Hector Araujo and Phoenix resident Josh Barreda will be attending the weeklong program in Washington, D.C. GEAR UP, or Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, serves 4,000 students in 31 schools in six counties throughout Arizona rural communities. The Arizona GEAR UP alumni were two of 30 selected from a nationwide pool of applicants.

The post In the Spotlight: May 9, 2013 appeared first on NAU News.

This week’s commencement ceremonies mark the end of my first academic year in the Provost’s Office. Overall it’s been both fascinating and rewarding; I’m pleased to be working with so many talented, dedicated people on meaningful projects.

The entire NAU community has much to be proud of in the past year:

• the Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization, for our progressive work in global education
• an innovative interdisciplinary Ph.D. program launched in earth science and environmental sustainability
• the first year of the Center for American Indian Resilience, funded by the National Institutes of Health, to complement our many other services to Native American students and communities
• ground-breaking approaches in Personalized Learning, which plans to enroll students in the next month or so
• our first two degree programs in the spectacular Health Sciences Education Building at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus
• our first Artist in Residence, Bruce Aiken, and collaborations with the Flagstaff community in arts-based economic development
• a continued focus on undergraduate engagement, from the First Year Seminar Action Research Teams to the spectacular Undergraduate Research Symposium held recently in the Skydome.

I salute the work you have all been doing to accommodate our booming enrollment while sustaining a high-quality, personalized educational experience for students.

One of my priorities for next year is the creation of a framework for planning academic priorities, with transparent attention to quality, student demand and resources. The Provost’s Office will also launch a survey on faculty working conditions as part of the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education. We expect to use the results, and other COACHE resources, to help make NAU the best possible workplace.

But for now, we welcome the summer! This is the opportunity, whether you are on contract or not, to do what’s needed to renew personal and intellectual reserves–some mix of scholarship, creative work, extra attention to students or programs and personal renewal like hiking or family or community. I wish you a safe, happy and satisfying summer, and look forward to working with you again next year.

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