Acquistion of Instrumentation for a DNA Sequencing and Analysis Core Facility

在Christopher Kvaal博士的指导下，圣克劳德州立大学获得了一笔赠款，用于开发自动DNA测序和分析设备。从系统发育到水质，从遗传学/基因组学到医学，对DNA进行测序的能力现在是广泛的生物学研究领域的必要技能。为了培养这些不同领域的下一代科学家，需要在教室和研究实验室中进行DNA测序反应的能力。该提案的资金将用于购买DNA分析系统、96孔热循环仪和多个用于分析DNA序列数据的计算机工作站。通过这笔拨款获得的仪器将使圣克劳德州立大学的八个不同研究项目继续取得进展。这些项目包括植物和硅藻系统学、免疫学、细胞和发育生物学以及内分泌生理学。在每个研究项目的情况下，DNA序列数据是回答这些领域重要问题的实验策略的关键组成部分。在少数情况下，这些项目的DNA序列数据的获取将与本科课程同时进行，允许学生在课堂上接受DNA测序领域的培训，为这些研究项目生成数据。该仪器也将作为一种教育工具用于本科课程。圣克劳德州立大学的生物和化学教师将能够使用这种仪器进行研究和教育合作。本科和研究生教育在两个系得到加强，有能力弥合教育和研究之间的差距，让学生超越学习去探究。他们将获得操作自动DNA测序仪的技术能力，以及理解测序重要性的智力能力。对于许多学生来说，可以说他们将有他们的“第一个”有形的发现与仪器。学生们将在电脑屏幕上看到他们生成的数据，其中一些是以前从未见过的。

A grant has been awarded to Saint Cloud State University under the direction of Dr. Christopher Kvaal to develop an Automated DNA Sequencing and Analysis Facility. The ability to sequence DNA is now a necessary skill for wide areas of biological study, from phylogeny to water quality to genetics/genomics to medicine. In order to train the next generation of scientists in these diverse fields, the capacity to perform DNA sequencing reactions in the classroom and research lab is needed. The funding from this proposal will enable the purchase of a DNA Analysis System, a 96 well thermocycler, and multiple computer workstations for analysis of DNA sequence data.The instrumentation acquired with this grant will enable eight diverse research projects at Saint Cloud State University to make continued progress. These projects include plant and diatom systematics, immunology, cell and developmental biology, and endocrine physiology. In the case of each of the research projects, DNA sequence data is a critical component of the experimental strategy for answering vital questions in these fields. In a few cases, the acquisition of DNA sequence data for these projects will coincide with undergraduate courses, allowing students being trained in-class in the area of DNA sequencing to generate data for these research projects. The instrumentation will also be used in undergraduate courses as an educational tool.Biology and Chemistry faculty at Saint Cloud State University will be able to join together in research and education collaborations using this instrumentation. Undergraduate and graduate education is enhanced in two departments by having the ability to bridge the gap between education and research, to allow students to go beyond learning to inquiry. They will acquire the technical prowess to operate an automated DNA Sequencer and the intellectual capacity to understand why sequencing is important. For many students it can be said that they will have their "first" tangible discoveries with this instrumentation. Students will see on a computer screen data they generated, some of which has never been seen before.