Opportunity Information: Apply for F19AS00020
This grant opportunity, titled "CESU - Genomic and biogeographic analysis of two pathogens endangering the desert tortoise" (Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00020), is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service. The award is planned as a cooperative agreement under the Natural Resources activity category (CFDA 15.678). It was created on February 4, 2019, with an original closing date of February 8, 2019, indicating a short application window consistent with a targeted or pre-identified recipient approach.
The Fish and Wildlife Service states its intent to make a single-source award to the University of Nevada, Reno, meaning the agency is not seeking broad competition for this project and has identified this institution as the intended recipient. Eligible applicants are limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, aligning with the academic and research-focused nature of the work and the CESU framework that often supports partnerships between federal agencies and university-based research programs.
The project purpose is to support genomic sequencing of two bacterial pathogens, Mycoplasma agassizii and Mycoplasma testudineum, using samples that were originally collected from wild desert tortoises. These two Mycoplasma species are associated with disease in the Mojave Desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii), a species of significant conservation concern. By generating genomic sequence data from wild-origin samples, the work aims to improve understanding of the pathogens as they occur in natural tortoise populations rather than relying only on laboratory strains.
A central deliverable described in the announcement is the use of the newly generated genomes to build phylogenetic trees for both pathogens. In practical terms, this means comparing DNA across samples to reconstruct evolutionary relationships, which can reveal how strains are related across geography and time and can help infer patterns such as spread, diversification, and possible source populations. This type of phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis can be valuable for wildlife disease management because it can connect pathogen lineages to specific regions or tortoise populations, helping refine monitoring strategies and informing decisions about translocation, captive care, and risk reduction.
In addition to mapping relationships among strains, the genomic data are also intended to support characterization of genes linked to pathogenicity. That component focuses on identifying genetic features that may contribute to the bacteria's ability to cause disease, such as genes involved in host interaction, immune evasion, or other mechanisms relevant to virulence. Understanding these genetic factors can strengthen scientific foundations for diagnostics and surveillance, and it can improve the ability to interpret why some infections may be more severe than others, or why outcomes might vary among tortoise populations.
The funding parameters indicate an award ceiling of $250,000 and an expectation of one award, reinforcing that this is a single, defined research effort rather than a multi-award competition. Overall, the opportunity supports applied conservation science: generating pathogen genomic resources, analyzing evolutionary and geographic patterns, and linking genetic findings to disease potential, all with the goal of improving knowledge relevant to protecting the Mojave Desert tortoise.Apply for F19AS00020
- The Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service in the natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CESU - Genomic and biogeographic analysis of two pathogens endangering the desert tortoise" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.678.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 04, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 08, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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