Inna Sokolova
Dr. Inna Sokolova is an assistant professor of biology and an ecophysiologist. This past summer, Dr. Sokolova received a Research Opportunity Award (ROA) of $25,000 from the National Science Foundation to supplement her current NSF CAREER grant. ROA awards support research and training of faculty from predominantly undergraduate institutions allowing them to pursue research as visiting scientists with NSF supported investigators.
With this award, Dr. Sokolova is able to collaborate with Dr. Britt Kern, an assistant professor at Johnson C. Smith University. Together they are attempting to isolate UCP (uncoupling protein) genes from oysters and characterize their expression in response to metal pollution and temperature change. This project complements and enhances the NSF CAREER project of Dr. Sokolova which focuses on physiological and molecular mechanisms in response to pollution and global climate change in marine invertebrates.
"My lab studies combined effects of heavy metal pollution and temperature stress (such as may be expected in the case of global climate change) on marine ectotherms, or ‘cold-blooded’ animals. We are particularly interested in ectotherms because they represent >95% of animal biodiversity in marine realms and, next to plants, they form the basis of marine ecosystems. We use oysters as a model ectotherm because it has many physiological features in common with other ectotherms (so that studying the effects of pollution and temperature stress on oysters can indicate what may happen to other ectotherms such as other invertebrates or fish), and because they are very important ecologically and economically in estuaries of the U.S. East Coast."
With the ROA from the NSF, Drs. Sokolova and Kern are able to provide an opportunity to integrate research and undergraduate education. Four undergraduate and two graduate students from JCSU and UNCC work under Dr. Sokolova’s supervision. Two students work on the isolation and characterization of UCP genes from oysters while the other two study the role of cellular P-glycoprotein pumps in helping oysters combat stress from environmental toxins.
"I sincerely hope that my research findings have contributed to our understanding of how human impacts along with the global climate change may be changing the face of the planet in marine realms and alert us to the fact that some of human impacts (such as pollution) will become more damaging to marine ecosystems with global warming."