Acquisition of a Controlled Environmental Facility for Plant Biology at the University of Vermont

佛蒙特大学的植物生物学研究侧重于植物生长，发育和生态学的基本方面以及环境因素对这些过程的影响。来自植物学和动物学系以及自然资源学院的科学家组成了一个跨学科研究核心，旨在促进佛蒙特大学植物生物学研究的机会。这些研究人员的专业知识从基因延伸到生态系统水平，为促进植物生物学研究奠定了良好的基础。在这个核心和积极的学生和博士后参与他们的实验室科学家之间正在进行的合作企业证明了他们对植物科学跨学科研究和教育的承诺。 虽然该提案中的每个核心教师都在佛蒙特大学建立了一个富有成效的研究计划，但个人和合作研究受到允许精确控制环境条件的生长室的限制。这种限制并不局限于植物生物学的任何分支，而是影响植物分子生物学、植物生理学和代谢、植物环境生物学和植物进化中的生产力和竞争力。UVM的植物生物学受控环境设施汇集了跨单位的科学家骨干，他们正在积极合作或设想潜在的跨学科互动，这些互动源于旨在为植物生物学研究提供受控环境的设施。植物学，动物学和自然资源学院的外部资助研究项目突出了研究核心的活力。 该提案的目标是建立一个由八个生长室组成的设施，以实现植物生物学研究机会的最大灵活性和广度。该设施的获得将大大提高佛蒙特大学目前存在的研究和教育机会。该设施将提供产生转基因植物所需的环境条件，用于分析植物对对比环境条件的反应，并用于研究受控条件下大型植物种群的群体选择原则。拟议的设施还将促进新的实验途径，特别是目前由于缺乏足够的受控生长设施而不可能进行的合作。最后，该设施将提高佛蒙特大学本科生和研究生教育的质量，为学习植物分子生物学、生理学和遗传学的学生提供他们研究所需的最先进的生长设施。

Research in plant biology at the University of Vermont focuses on both fundamental aspects of plant growth, development and ecology as well as the effects of environmental factors on these processes. A consortium of scientists from the Departments of Botany and Zoology and the School of Natural Resources have formed an interdisciplinary research core which seeks to advance opportunities for research in plant biology at the University of Vermont. The expertise of these researchers extends from the gene to the ecosystem level, presenting a well-balanced foundation from which to foster research in plant biology. Ongoing collaborative ventures among scientists within this core and active student and post-doctoral participation in their laboratories attest to their commitment to interdisciplinary research and education in the plant sciences. While each of the core faculty within this proposal has established a productive research program at the University of Vermont, individual and collaborative research is limited by the availability of growth chambers that allow precisely controlled environmental conditions. This restriction is not limited to any branch of plant biology but impacts productivity and competitiveness in plant molecular biology, plant physiology and metabolism, plant environmental biology and plant evolution. A Controlled Environmental Facility for Plant Biology at UVM brings together a cadre of scientists across units who are actively collaborating or envision potential interdisciplinary interactions stemming from a facility designed to provide controlled environments for research in plant biology. Externally-funded research programs in Botany, Zoology, and the School of Natural Resources highlight the vitality of the research core. The goal of this proposal is to establish a facility comprised of eight growth chambers that allows maximum flexibility and breadth in research opportunities in plant biology. Acquisition of this facility will greatly en hance the research and educational opportunities that currently exist at the University of Vermont This facility will provide environmental conditions needed for the generation of transgenic plants, for analyzing a plant's response to contrasting environmental conditions, and for studying principles of group selection in large plant populations under controlled conditions. The proposed facility will also foster new avenues of experimentation, especially collaborations that are currently impossible due to the lack of adequate controlled growth facilities. Lastly, the facility will enhance the quality of undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Vermont by providing students studying plant molecular biology, physiology and genetics with a state-of-the-art growth facility necessary for their research.