Arthur W. Pightling

PhD Candidate 2003-present, Laboratory of John M. Logsdon Jr., 300 Old Biology Building, Carver Center for Comparative Genomics, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City IA 52242-1324 USA, tel: 319-335-1083, fax: 319-335-1069

email: arthur-pightling at uiowa.edu

Current Research:

Current work makes use of the degenerate PCR technique to amplify RecA, MutL, Rad52 and Snf2 (Rad54/Rdh54 and other) homologs in early-branching protist lineages (the Excavates), with the goal to use gene duplication data to elucidate the evolution of meiotic paralagous genes, and to elucidate the tree of eukaryotic life via multigene analyses of the Excavates.

Education:

Ph.D. Candidate, Biology-Evolution, University of Iowa; Iowa City, IA, August 2003 - present.

Applied Phylogenetics Workshop, Bodega Bay CA, 2008.

B.S., Biology-Ecology, California State University, Fresno; Fresno, CA.

Awards:

International Society of Evolutionary Protistology Student Travel Award, July 2008.

International Society of Protistologists Holz-Connor Student Travel Award, July 2008.

Applied Phylogenetics Workshop Travel Award, Bodega Bay CA, March 2008.

Avis Cone Fellowship, University of Iowa; Iowa City, IA. July - August 2004 and July - August 2005.

California Pre-Doctoral Scholar, California State University, Fresno; Fresno, CA. August 2002

Faculty Sponsored Student Research Award, California State University, Fresno; Fresno, CA. August 2002

Publications:

Malik S.-B., Pightling A.W., Stefaniak L.M., Schurko A.M., Logsdon J.M. Jr. 2008. An expanded inventory of conserved meiotic genes provides evidence for sex
in Trichomonas vaginalis. Public Library of Science - One, 3:8:e2879. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002879. [article] [supplemental material] [comments]

Manuscripts in Preparation:

Pightling A.W. and J.M. Logsdon Jr. Evolutionary relationships of eukaryotic Rad51 and Dmc1 homologs. Manuscript in preparation.

Pightling A.W. and J.M. Logsdon Jr. Evolutionary relationships of eukaryotic SNF2 homologs. Manuscript in preparation.

Malik S.-B., Pightling A.W., Logsdon J.M. Jr. Origin and evolution of meiotic genes by duplication. Manuscript in preparation.

Pightling A.W. and J.M. Logsdon Jr. Evolutionary relationships of eukaryotic RecA homologs. Manuscript in preparation.

Presentations:

Pightling A.W., and J.M. Logsdon Jr. 2008. Assembling the tree of eukaryotic life with the recA homologs Rad51 and Dmc1. Platform talk, Protist 2008, Joint Meeting of the International Society of Evolutionary Protistology and International Society of Protistologists, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.

Pightling A.W., and J.M. Logsdon Jr. 2008. Assembling the tree of eukaryotic life with the recA homologs Rad51 and Dmc1. Poster, Annual Biological Sciences Recruitment program.

Pightling A.W., Sahni N. and J.M. Logsdon Jr. 2006. Evolutionary relationships among eukaryotic RecA homologs. Poster, First Annual Biological Sciences Graduate Program Retreat, Dubuque IA.

Teaching Experience:

Evolution. 8-12/2004, 1-5/2006, 8-12/2006, 1-5/2007, 8-12/2007 and 1-5/2008. University of Iowa; Iowa City, IA.

Ecology and General Biology. January 2002 - May 2003. California State University, Fresno; Fresno, CA

Professional Experience:

Biological Technician, Aquatics Crew. United States Forest Service; Sierra National Forest, CA. May - August 2002/2003. As a member of the Northern Forest team, studies of the distribution and abundance of the Yosemite Toad were performed with little or no supervision. Tasks included GPS navigation to a site, mapping of the site, identification of subjects, and documentation and collection of subjects.

Skills:
Laboratory protocol: exact match and degenerate PCR, primer design, cloning, DNA sequencing, automated (BioMek) robot operation, Applied Biosystems 3730 Sequencer operation

Bioinformatics protocol: NCBI, TIGR, and GiardiaDB Blast, Sequencher and MacClade programs, ClustalX alignments and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses.

Field protocol: mapping, photography, GPS navigation, specimen identification and collection.

last modified 19th August 2008.