Grant Awarded from FightWNS
On December 31st, FightWNS awarded Kyle Gabriel, a PhD candidate in Dr. Sidney Crow’s laboratory, a $5,000 grant for his white-nose syndrome research proposal, “Development of a Device for Treating White-Nose Syndrome Using Naturally-Occurring Volatile Compounds.”
FightWNS, a 501(c)(3) public charity, is an organization that strives to educate others on the value and beauty of North American bat species, and financially contribute to the fight against and understanding of white-nose syndrome, the devastating disease that’s imperiling northeastern bat populations.
Go to the page announcing the three projects awarded funds or read about them below.
Development of a Device for Treating White-Nose Syndrome Using Naturally-Occurring Volatile Compounds
Kyle T. Gabriel, Christopher T. Cornelison, and Sidney A. Crow, Jr.
Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia
This project proposes the evaluation and development of a novel, prototype treatment device, along with the evaluation and modification of effective anti-Pseudogymnoascus destructans volatile organic compound (VOC) formulations for contact-independent management of white-nose syndrome.
Environmental Loading and Transmission of Pseudogymnoascus destructans within Hibernacula
Dr. Hazel A. Barton, PhD
Department of Biology and Geosciences, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio
This project aims to determine whether environmental growth and dispersal can impact the transfer of Pseudogymnoascus destructans. Although part of a large, multi-year project to examine the influence of biotic factors on the growth and amplification of Pd within sediments, this funding targets two specific objectives;
- what levels of Pd are generated within the environment during an active WNS infection, and
- which factors, beyond bats, are responsible for the movement of Pd spores.
Investigating Natural Defenses in Arizona Bats
Jennifer J. Marshall Hathaway and Dr. Diana Northup
Northup Lab, University of New Mexico
The objective of this study is to examine isolates from three species for polyketide synthase type II (PKS II), a group of genes involved in the production of secondary metabolites such as antimicrobial agents. Screening for this group of genes permits the determination of;
- what the diversity of these genes living on bats in Arizona is,
- differences in the presence of this gene cluster in Actinobacteria that inhibit Pseudogymnoascus destructans and those that do not, and
- if there are differences in the diversity these genes among the different species of bats.
