Acquisition of a DNA Sequencer for Use in Undergraduate Biochemistry/Molecular Biology and DNA Computing Research and Teaching

在Wendy Pogozelski博士的指导下，位于Geneseo的纽约州立大学（SUNY）学院获得了一笔赠款，用于购买DNA测序仪。该测序仪将用于扩大DNA研究中提供的本科项目的数量和范围，并支持DNA测序，DNA计算和生物信息学的新课程倡议。这些研究活动是为本科生设计的，包括鉴定在伽玛射线照射下会出现缺失的人类线粒体DNA区域；不同品系小鼠线粒体DNA编码的比较；研究南极海星一窝同类相食的胚胎的遗传关系；在乌兹别克斯坦的Kyzil Kum沙漠中鉴定用于生物修复的微生物，以及确定代表DNA计算问题中的模式或代码的长DNA链的DNA序列。此外，该测序仪还用于Geneseo生物化学实验课和微生物实验课的DNA序列和rRNA序列验证。这些项目对社会有益，因为它们代表了开发生物剂量测定新工具（测量人类意外辐射损害的方法）、防止南极海洋生物枯竭、与国际科学界合作进行环境生物修复和稳定、开发新的计算方法以努力解决计算难题以及开发线粒体DNA疾病的良好模型等方面的努力。此外，它们是教育DNA科学本科生和为他们从事科学研究做好准备的重要工具。

A grant has been awarded to the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Geneseo under the direction of Dr. Wendy Pogozelski for acquisition of a DNA sequencer. The sequencer will be used to expand the number and scope of undergraduate projects offered in DNA research and to support new curriculum initiatives in DNA sequencing, DNA computing, and bioinformatics. The research activities, designed for undergraduate involvement, include the identification of regions of human mitochondrial DNA that are subject to deletions when treated with gamma rays; comparison of the mitochondrial DNA codes of various strains of mice; studying the genetic relationships cannibalistic embryos in a brood of the Antarctic sea star; identifying microbes for bioremediation in the Kyzil Kum desert of Uzbekistan, and determining DNA sequences of long DNA strands that represent patterns or codes in DNA computing problems. In addition, the sequencer is be used for verification of DNA sequences and rRNA sequences in the Biochemistry Laboratory class and Microbiology Laboratory classes at Geneseo. These projects are of use to society in that they represent efforts in developing new tools for biodosimetry (ways to measure accidental radiation damage in humans), preventing depletion of Antarctic marine life, partnering with the international scientific community for environmental bioremediation and stabilization, developing new methods for computing in an effort to solve computationally hard problems, and developing good models for mitochondrial DNA diseases. In addition, they are vital tools in educating undergraduates in the DNA sciences and preparing them for careers in scientific research.