Aquisition of Image Analysis Instrumentation for Environmental Microbiology, Cell Biology and Genetics Research and Teaching in an Undergraduate Institution

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A grant has been awarded to Dr. David H. Huber and Dr. Mark Chatfield atWest Virginia State College for the acquisition of an Image Analysis system. The digital image analysis applications that are required by many molecular biology techniques that involve DNA, RNA and protein imaging. This instrument will be used for environmental microbiology and cell biology research, as well as molecular biology instruction in several Biology Department classes. The environmental microbiology research involves a long-term study of microbial diversity and microbial metabolism in model bioprocessing reactors that are used for degrading organic matter. This research will demonstrate how the composition of a microbial community is linked to its overall metabolism. A second area of research will examine the molecular controls of plant cell division using model plant cell cultures.The goals of the environmental microbiology research are: 1) to examine the composition of the microbial communities in thermophilic anaerobic bioprocessing reactors, and 2) to determine the fate of antibiotic resistance genes that enter bioprocessing reactors.Bioprocessing reactors, also called digesters, transform organic waste into methane, a useful combustible gas, and fertilizer. The microbial interactions responsible for these chemical transformations in bioreactors are very complex and not well understood. Improvements in reactor biotechnology will be a practical benefit of this research. Theplant cell division research will improve our understanding of the molecular processes that govern plant growth. The analyzer will also be used for molecular biology training in several classes at West Virginia State College. The new instrument will significantly advance student training in molecular biology, microbiology and genetics.