We sequenced and annotated the genomes of four Plasmodium vivax strains collected from disparate geographical locations, tripling the number of genome sequences available for this understudied parasite and providing the first genome-wide perspective of global variability within this species. We observe approximately twice as much SNP diversity among these isolates as we do among a comparable collection of isolates of Plasmodium falciparum, a malaria parasite that causes higher mortality. This indicates a distinct history of global colonization and/or a more stable demographic history for P. vivax than P. falciparum, which is thought to have undergone a recent population bottleneck. The SNP diversity, as well as additional microsatellite and gene family variability, suggests the capacity for greater functional variation within the global population of P. vivax. These findings warrant a deeper survey of variation in P. vivax to equip disease interventions targeting the distinctive biology of this neglected but major pathogen.

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Can prospective scholars be prepared to appreciate and learn from the presence of epistemological controversy and diverse perspectives? How might graduate programs in education develop researchers who have the capacity to appreciate and perhaps use multiple perspectives and methodologies?Given the finite amount of time in graduate school, and students' needs to (a) become expert enough in a given domain/ method to say something new and different, and (b) be able to make a thoughtful match between research problem and perspective/ methodology, how should we organize research preparation in doctoral study, and to what end? Is it even realistic to consider preparing researchers to use multiple methodologies and to work from different perspectives? 2

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Current knowledge of the development of the marsupial immune system, particularly in the context of lymphoid tissue development and the appearance of lymphocytes, has been examined and limitations identified. While primary lymphoid tissues like the thymus have been extensively studied, secondary lymphoid tissues such as the spleen and lymph nodes have been examined to a lesser extent, partly due to the difficulty of macroscopically identifying these structures, particularly in very small neonates. In addition, little research has been conducted on the mucosal-associated lymphoid tissues; tissues that directly trap antigens and play an important role in the maturity of adaptive immune responses. Research on the development of the marsupial immune tissues to date serves as a solid foundation for further research, particularly on the mechanisms behind the development of the immune system of marsupials. With the recent sequencing and annotation of whole marsupial genomes, the current wealth of sequence data will be essential in the development of marsupial specific reagents, including antibodies, that are required to widen our specific knowledge of the complex marsupial immune system and its development.