Jamie Bucholz
Blacksburg,VA
Summary
Accomplished Postdoctoral Fellow from Virginia Tech with a robust background in bioinformatics pipeline development and effective stakeholder engagement. Expert in Python and Bash, with a proven track record of integrating 'omics data to advance aquatic ecosystem conservation. Awarded the prestigious Presidential Fellowship, showcasing exceptional research and mentoring capabilities.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Postdoctoral Fellow
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA
08.2024 - Current
- Engage with local, regional, and federal stakeholders to manage invasive species with genetic tools.
- Conduct genotype-by-environment analyses in R and Python to detect genomic responses to environmental gradients in non-model organisms.
- Using bioinformatic pipelines such as GATK, STACKS, Mothur, SPAdes, Trinity, Bowtie, BLAST, etc., to analyze genome-wide datasets generated with Next Generation Sequencing approaches.
- Integrating multi-omics data types (genomic, transcriptomic) to elucidate the factors driving speciation in aquatic organisms.
- Awarded the Virginia Tech Presidential Fellowship in Research Frontiers.
Graduate Research Assistant
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL
08.2019 - 08.2024
- Sequenced and extracted over 2,500 samples from both degraded and fresh DNA.
- Curated metadata for more than 2,500 samples using relational databases, such as SQL.
- Genome-wide data analysis with bioinformatics approaches, including Bash, Linux, Python, and R-based population genomics analysis.
- Using genomic tools for ecological monitoring, conservation, and management of aquatic ecosystems.
- Linear mixed-effects modeling approaches to examine how biotic and abiotic factors influence genetic and microbial diversity.
- Communicate complex scientific findings to diverse audiences at international conferences, including an invited talk at the American Fisheries Society Southeastern Division meeting (Norfolk, VA, 2023).
- 11 publications, including 3 first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals and 2 publications in review.
- Engaged with local and regional stakeholders (the Alabama Biodiversity Center, the United States Geological Survey) to disseminate information about at-risk and imperiled freshwater mussel species.
- I mentored graduate and undergraduate students, and hosted weekly meetings to discuss papers in population genomics.
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI
08.2017 - 05.2019
- Extracted DNA and performed sequencing library preparations on 200 individuals of a freshwater mussel species from the Great Lakes.
- Used PCR to amplify the COI region of mitochondrial DNA.
- Examined genetic changes in response to bottlenecks in freshwater mussel species.
- Participated in freshwater mussel propagation at a facility Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry White Lake Fish Culture Station.
- Completed yearly written project reports to Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the status of genomic resources for an imperiled freshwater mussel species.
Peer Mentor
Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program
River Falls, WI
10.2016 - 05.2017
- Planned and coordinated weekly educational and recreational activities for 13 undergraduate students from low-income, underrepresented groups.
- Tutored 13 undergraduate students between ages of 20-35 in English reading and writing skills for STEM careers.
- Maintained program website and online presence.
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - Biological Sciences
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL08.2024
Master of Science -
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI05.2019
Bachelor of Science -
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
River Falls, WI12.2017
Skills
- Bioinformatics pipeline development
- Python and Bash proficiency
- Statistical modeling
- Wet lab experience
- Quantitative quadrat sampling
- Documenting research results with quality, peer-reviewed manuscripts
- Extensive expertise in 'omics approaches in freshwater aquatic systems
References
- Jeffrey Lozier, Ph.D., Professor of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, 1346 Science and Engineering Complex, Hackberry Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, 205-348-2754, jlozier@ua.edu
- David Zanatta, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, Central Michigan University, 1455 Calumet Court, Bioscience Building 2100, Mount Pleasant, MI, 48859, 989-774-7829, zanat1d@cmich.edu
- Joseph Gathman, Ph.D., Professor of Biology, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, 410 South Third Street, 424a Ag Science Building, River Falls, WI, 54022, 715-425-4201, joseph.gathman@uwrf.edu
Publications
- Multispecies genetic structure scales with β-diversity across river hierarchies in a freshwater mussel biodiversity hotspot, Bucholz, J.R., G.W. Hopper, I. Sánchez González, Colin R. Jackson, Ryan C. Garrick, C.L. Atkinson, and J.D. Lozier, In review, Proceedings of the Royal Society B
- Latitudinal and ecological gradients in freshwater bivalve genetic diversity, Bucholz, J.R., In review, Molluscan Research
- Population genomics of Tetratopes texanus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), Franzem, T.F., J.R. Bucholz, J.D. Lozier, and P.F.B. Ferguson, In revision, Conservation Genetics
- Microbiome diversity scales with host species diversity in filter-feeder (Unionidae) assemblages, Chiarello M., S.N. Vaughn, M. McCauley, G.W. Hopper, I. Sánchez González, J.R. Bucholz, R. C. Garrick, J.D. Lozier, C.L. Atkinson, and C.R. Jackson, In review, Ecology Letters
- Community-wide correlations between species richness, abundance and population genomic diversity in a freshwater biodiversity hotspot, Bucholz, J.R., G.W. Hopper, I. Sanchez Gonzalez, T.E. Kelley, R. Garrick, C.R. Jackson, C.L. Atkinson, and J.D. Lozier, 2023, Molecular Ecology, 00, 1-19, 10.1111/mec.16991
- Niche specialization and community niche space increase with species richness in filter-feeder assemblages, Sanchez Gonzalez, I., G.W. Hopper, J.R. Bucholz, M.E. Kubala, J.D. Lozier, and C.L. Atkinson, 2023, Ecosphere, 5, e4495
- RAD-tag and mitochondrial sequencing reveal the genetic structure of a widespread and regionally imperiled freshwater mussel, Obovaria olivaria (Bivalvia: Unionidae), Bucholz, J.R., N.M. VanTassel, J.D. Lozier, N. Sard, T.J. Morris, A. Paquet, and D.T. Zanatta, 2022, Ecology and Evolution, 12, 1, e8560
- Environment and co-occurring native mussel species, but not host genetics, impact the microbiome of a freshwater invasive species (Corbicula fluminea), Chiarello, M., J.R. Bucholz, M. McCauley, S.N. Vaughn, G.W. Hopper, I. Sanchez Gonzalez, C.L. Atkinson, J.D. Lozier, and C.R. Jackson, In review, Frontiers in Microbiology, 13, 781
- Little clams with big potential: nutrient release by Corbicula fluminea can exceed that of co-occurring freshwater mussel (Unionidae) assemblages, Hopper, G.W., J. K. Buchanan, I. Sanchez Gonzalez, M.E. Kubala, J.R. Bucholz, M. Lodato, J.D. Lozier, C.L. Atkinson, 2022, Biological Invasions, 24, 8, 2529-2545
- Identifying potential drivers of distribution patterns of invasive Corbicula fluminea relative to native freshwater mussels (Unionidae) across spatial scales, Kelley, T.E., G.W. Hopper, I. Sanchez Gonzalez, J.R. Bucholz, and C.L. Atkinson, 2022, Ecology and Evolution, 12, 3, e8737
- Long-Term Monitoring reveals differential responses of mussel and host fish communities in a biodiversity hotspot, Sanchez Gonzalez, I., G.W. Hopper, J. Bucholz, and C.L. Atkinson, C. L., 2021, Diversity, 13, 3, 122
- Freshwater mussel assemblage structure influences the stoichiometry and composition of excreted energy and nutrients, Hopper, G.W., S. Chen, I. Sanchez Gonzalez, J. Bucholz, Y. Lu, C.L. Atkinson, 2021, Functional Ecology, 35, 5, 1183-1195
- Sea star wasting disease demography and etiology in the brooding sea star Leptasterias spp., Jaffe, N., R. Eberl, J. Bucholz, and C.S. Cohen, 2019, PloS one, 14, 11, e0225248-e0225248
Otherpublications
Brooding behaviors of three Mississippi River mussel species in Minnesota, Slaikeu, E., M. Hove, C. Rounds, A. Benedict, L. Neu, I. Tolo, A. Franzen, B. Sietman, Z. Secrist, A. Scheunemann, J. Bucholz, and D. Hornbach, 2019, Ellipsaria, 21, 4, 8-12
Accomplishments
2024 The Consortium for Aquatic Sciences Spark Fellowship awardee
2024 The University of Alabama’s Ralph E. Chermok prize for an outstanding graduate student in Ecology and Evolution
2023 Virginia Tech Future Faculty Fellow
2023 University of Alabama Biological Sciences Department Aquatic Ecology Graduate Fellowship
2021 Freshwater Mollusk Conservation Society Best Student Poster Award
2020 Southern Regional Education Board Doctoral Fellowship
2019 University of Alabama Dean’s Merit Fellowship
2019 University of Alabama Ronald E. McNair Fellowship
Timeline
Postdoctoral Fellow
Virginia Tech
08.2024 - Current
Graduate Research Assistant
The University of Alabama
08.2019 - 08.2024
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Central Michigan University
08.2017 - 05.2019
Peer Mentor
Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program
10.2016 - 05.2017
Doctor of Philosophy - Biological Sciences
The University of Alabama
Master of Science -
Central Michigan University
Bachelor of Science -
University of Wisconsin-River Falls