RUI - A Genetic Analyzer for Studies on Biodiversity, Phylogenetics, Population Genetics and Molecular Biology in the Caribbean

该奖项是为了收购一种用于DNA测序和基因型分析的自动化仪器。DNA测序和基因型分析将广泛用于微生物多样性和生态学研究。这些项目的重点是热带地区森林、毁林土地和单一农业中与植物有关和与土壤有关的微生物多样性，加勒比极端环境中的微生物多样性，以及土壤-水生纤毛虫比较。基于细胞质DNA的进一步研究，建议对加勒比地区稀有和濒危维管植物的种群，以及约8,000年前居住在该地区的美洲印第安人的种群历史和迁移路线进行研究。此外，DNA测序将被广泛用于各种生物体的分子系统发育研究，如枝角类、纤毛虫、短尾类以及安的列斯群岛的稀有和濒危维管植物。DNA测序也将被用作确认基因构建、定点突变和其他涉及DNA操作的步骤的工具。自动遗传分析仪将在该部门建立博士课程的目标中发挥关键作用。该仪器将对促进竞争性研究产生重大影响，并将提高正在开发的分子系统学研究生课程的质量。通过这些方式，它将为培养越来越多的研究生做出强有力的贡献。此外，通过促进竞争性研究，它将改善本科生的研究机会，占波多黎各人的97%，从而提高他们的兴趣，并改善他们在美国和其他地方进行研究生研究的培训。该仪器的影响将达到整个校园，因为目前在校园或马亚圭斯市的任何地方都没有这样的仪器。其影响将超越美国国界，因为一些研究生来自拉丁美洲和加勒比地区，而且一些研究项目是在地区层面上开展的。

This award is for the acquisition of an automated instrument for DNA sequencing and genotype analysis. DNA sequencing and genotype analysis will be used extensively for studies on microbial diversity and ecology. These include projects focused on plant-associated and soil-associated microbial diversity in forests, deforested land, and agricultural monocultures in the tropics, on microbial diversity in extreme environments in the Caribbean, and on soil-aquatic ciliate comparisons. Further studies based on cytoplasmic DNA are proposed on populations of rare and endangered vascular plants of the Caribbean, and on the population history and migratory routes of the Amerindians who peopled the region approximately 8,000 years ago. In addition, DNA sequencing will be used extensively for molecular phylogenetic studies in a wide diversity of organisms such as cladocerans, ciliates, bryophytes, and rare and endangered vascular plants of the Antilles. DNA sequencing will also be used as a tool to confirm gene constructs, site-directed mutations, and other steps involving DNA manipulation.The automated genetic analyzer will play a key role in the Department's goal of establishing a doctoral program. The instrument will have a strong impact on facilitating competitive research and will enhance the quality of a molecular systematics graduate course that is being developed. In these ways, it will make a powerful contribution to the research training of the growing number of graduate students. Furthermore, by facilitating competitive research, it will improve research opportunities for undergraduates, composed 97% of Puerto Ricans, and thus increase their interest and improve their training for graduate research in the U.S. and elsewhere. The impact of the instrument will reach the whole campus, as there is currently no such instrument anywhere on campus or in the city of Mayaguez. The impact will reach beyond U.S. borders because a number of the graduate students are from Latin America and the Caribbean, and because some of the research projects operate at a regional level.