IGERT Program in Comparative Genomics

生命科学研究正在经历一场根本性的变革。随着许多生物的完整基因组序列现已可用，科学家们可以开始解决以前难以解决的根本问题。新基因从何而来？哪些基因使我们成为独一无二的人类？什么功能与基因组的不同区域相关？基因组学将在未来20年重塑生物学研究，并对医学和人类健康、农业、工程学以及我们对生命起源和生物有机体之间关系的理解产生深远的影响。这一新领域的研究需要具有不同背景的科学家的协调互动。为了满足这一需求，亚利桑那大学于五年前在亚利桑那大学设立了基因组学综合研究生教育和研究培训计划(IGERT)。鉴于该领域不断变化的方向，在这次更新中将开展四项新活动：(1)比较基因组学讲座和计算机实验室课程，所有学生都将学习基因组学基础，包括参与其中的技能；(2)基因组学研究实践课；(3)在当地一所少数民族入学率为70%的科学磁石高中进行教学和推广；(4)与其他机构的特邀演讲者举行年度座谈会。该计划还将建立在现有优势的基础上，包括跨学科建议、研究轮换、研讨会、伦理培训、讨论小组以及在其他学术机构或行业的实习机会。这一培训计划的影响将是为下一代生物学家配备工具，以应对基因组规模研究的挑战。到目前为止，这个项目非常成功，已经在亚利桑那大学14个系的37个实验室培养了博士生。更新的一个关键新组成部分是让IGERT学生参与高中科学教育的计划。这将把整个科学，特别是基因组学，带到更广泛的社区，并将鼓励少数族裔学生在教育的早期阶段进入科学职业生涯。IGERT是一个NSF范围内的项目，旨在应对培养具有跨学科背景、所选学科的深厚知识以及满足未来职业需求所需的技术、专业和个人技能的美国博士科学家和工程师的挑战。该项目旨在通过建立创新的研究生教育和培训新模式，在超越传统学科界限的合作研究的肥沃环境中，催化研究生教育的文化变革。

Research in the life sciences is undergoing a radical transformation. With the complete genome sequences of many organisms now available, scientists can begin to tackle fundamental questions that were previously intractable. Where do new genes come from? Which genes make us uniquely human? What functions are associated with different regions of the genome? Genomics will reshape biological research in the next twenty years and have a profound impact on medicine and human health, agriculture, engineering, our understanding of the origin of life and of the relationships among living organisms. Research in this new area requires the coordinated interaction of scientists with diverse backgrounds. To address this need, an Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) program in Genomics was established at the University of Arizona five years ago. In recognition of the changing directions of the field, four new activities will take place in this renewal: (1) a lecture and computer laboratory course on comparative genomics, in which all students will learn the foundations of genomics including the skills to participate in (2) a hands-on class on reserach in genomics, (3) teaching and outreach at a local science magnet high school with 70% minority enrollment, and (4) annual symposia with invited speakers from other institutions. The program will also build on existing strengths, including interdisciplinary advising, research rotations, seminars, training in ethics, discussion groups, and internships at other academic institutions or in industry. The impact of this training program will be to equip the next generation of biologists with the tools to tackle the challenges of genome-scale research. This program to date has been highly successful, having trained Ph.D. students in 37 labs from 14 departments at the University of Arizona. A key new component of the renewal is the plan to involve IGERT students in high school science education. This will bring science in general, and genomics in particular, to a wider community, and will encourage minority students to enter careers in science at an early stage of their education. IGERT is an NSF-wide program intended to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the interdisciplinary background, deep knowledge in a chosen discipline, and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.