Establishment of a Research Group for the Study of Genetics and Cell Biology in Fungi

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The Research Improvement in Minority Institutions (RIMI) program was established to provide support to strengthen the research environments and capabilities of predominantly minority institutions or institutions that have substantial minority student populations. Eligible institutions must also have graduate programs in science or programs in engineering. Funding is provided for faculty research in fields of science and engineering supported by the Foundation and for the acquisition of research instrumentation. Jackson State University will use RIMI support to study senescence (process of becoming old) and the use of parasexuality as a new tool in the control of insect pests. Under the broad heading of genetics and cell biology, the Jackson State research group will use one study to search for unique proteins during senescence by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. In another project, the group will expose conidia from fungi isolates to ultraviolet light to obtain mutants. These mutants and prototropic somatic diploids will be tested for virulence. This project will further the institution's goal of establishing a Molecular Biology Research Institute at Jackson State University. The principal investigator of this project is a well-trained plant pathologist and entomologist who has published extensively in refereed journals. The Foundation has supported this project because more opportunities will be available for minority faculty and students to participate in meritorious research in molecular biology.