An Automated DNA Sequencer for Brown University

布朗大学生态与进化生物学（EEB）、分子与细胞生物学与生物化学（MCB）、分子药理学与生物技术（MPB）系的一组教员正在为购买一家应用生物系统公司寻求资金。ABI 377自动DNA测序仪和专用热循环仪用于ABI 377。该设备将作为一个多用户设施运行，有四个主要用户（Hawrot、Hendrickson、Rand、Zaret）和八个次要用户（Biggins、Cane、Gerbi、Landy、Marshal、Mowry、Wessel、Wharton）。使用该测序仪进行的研究范围从已知基因的突变分析（Biggins, Cane, Hawrot, Landy, Mowry, Wharton, Zaret）到新基因组序列的表征（Cane, Gerbi, Hendrickson, Marshal, Wessel Wharton）到遗传变异和进化的研究（Rand）。这台设备将显著提高研究效率和竞争力，因为目前每个用户都是“手工”测序。目前，布朗大学没有自动DNA测序仪，整个罗德岛州也没有。对于大多数主要用户来说，获取克隆或扩增基因的DNA序列是研究进展的主要负担。排序工作的很大一部分落在了研究生的肩上。因此，自动化DNA测序仪将对研究生教育产生重大影响，使学生能够专注于更具智力挑战性的研究，并将更多精力用于创造性的实验设计。布朗大学将为购买ABI 377提供48.8%的资金，并将支付工作人员（Charles Setterlund）的工资，Charles Setterlund将是负责操作该设备的专职人员。

A group of faculty in the Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB), Molecular and Cellular Biology and Biochemistry (MCB) and Molecular Pharmacology and Biotechnology (MPB) at Brown Uliversity seeks funds for the purchase of an Applied Biosystems, Inc. ABI 377 Automated DNA Sequencer and dedicated thermal cycler for use with the ABI 377. This equipment will be operated as a multi-user facility with four major users (Hawrot, Hendrickson, Rand, Zaret) and eight minor users (Biggins, Cane, Gerbi, Landy, Marshal, Mowry, Wessel, Wharton). The research conducted with this Sequencer ranges from the analysis of mutants of known genes (Biggins, Cane, Hawrot, Landy, Mowry, Wharton, Zaret) to the characterization of new genomic sequences (Cane, Gerbi, Hendrickson, Marshal, Wessel Wharton) to studies of genetic variation and evolution of well-characterized loci (Rand). This piece of equipment will provide a significant increase in research productivity and competitiveness as each of the users currently does sequencing by "hand." At present, there is no automated DNA sequencer at Brown University, nor in the entire state of Rhode Island. For most of the major users, acquiring the DNA sequence of cloned or amplified genes is a major burden to research progress. A substantial proportion of sequencing effort falls on the shoulders of graduate students. Hence, an automated DNA sequencer will have a significant impact on graduate education by allowing students to focus on more intellectually challenging research and direct more effort towards creative experimental design. Brown University will provide 48.8% of the funds for the purchase of the ABI 377, and will pay the salary of the staff member (Charles Setterlund) who will be the dedicated person responsible for operating this equipment.