MRI: The Core Genomics Laboratory for Teaching and Research in Biotechnology

维拉诺瓦大学需要8台用于基因组学水平生物工程研究和教学的仪器，即：遗传分析仪、实时聚合酶链式反应系统、带有UV-Vis和光散射检测器的液相色谱仪、细胞存活率分析仪、荧光显微镜、平板阅读器和两个冰柜。这些仪器将构成一个新的核心基因组实验室的分析基础设施。新的实验室和所要求的仪器是对现有实验室的重大升级，这些实验室目前由共同的私营部门执行机构使用。新设施和所需仪器带来的能力将使合作PI能够将现代基因组水平的实验方案纳入其当前和未来在环境微生物学、生物加工、机械转导和基于微结构光纤光谱的生物传感器方面的研究和教学活动。这项建议具有重大的学术价值，因为它将使合作的私人投资机构能够在他们通过先前的工作而确定的能力领域进行高级研究。本提案后面几节介绍了需要所需工具的当前研究和几项计划研究的详细情况。这些高级研究将有助于扩大共同绩效指标各自专业领域的知识库。这项提议还具有重大的更广泛的影响。首先，购置所需的仪器将有助于发展供合作绩效机构用于研究和教育目的的实验基础设施。通过提高联合投资机构吸引资助研究的能力，更多的研究生将有机会在基因组学研究中发挥积极作用，这是他们研究生教育的一部分。合作PIs还致力于将研究真正整合到本科教育经验中。通过提案中描述的各种机制，本科生将有机会使用所要求的设备进行研究。代表不足的群体，包括来自费城的高中生，将受益于共同投资促进机构和工程学院继续致力于为这些群体提供工程教育机会。

0722854DuranEight instruments are requested that will be utilized for genomics level bioengineering research and teaching at Villanova University, namely: a genetic analyzer, a real-time PCR system, a liquid chromatograph with UV-Vis and light scattering detectors, a cell viability analyzer, an epifluorescent microscope, a plate reader, and two freezers. These instruments will form the analytical infrastructure of a new Core Genomics Laboratory. The new laboratory and the instruments requested represent a significant upgrade from the existing laboratories currently used by the co-PIs. The capabilities brought about by the new facility and the requested instruments will allow co-PIs to incorporate modern genomics level experimental protocols into their current and future research and teaching activities in environmental microbiology, bioprocessing, mechanotransduction, and microstructured optical fiber spectroscopy-based biological sensors. This proposal has significant intellectual merit in that it will allow the co-PIs to conduct advanced research in areas which they have well-established competence through prior work. The details of the current and several planned studies that necessitate the requested instruments are presented in the later sections of this proposal. These advanced studies will help to expand the knowledge base in the co-PIs' respective fields of expertise. This proposal also has significant broader impacts. First, acquisition of the requested instruments will help develop the experimental infrastructure available to the co-PIs for research and educational purposes. By improving the ability of the co-PIs to attract funded research, more graduate students will have the opportunity to take an active role in genomics research as part of their graduate education. The co-PIs are also committed to a true integration of research into the undergraduate educational experience. Through a variety of mechanisms described in the proposal, undergraduates will have the opportunity to use the requested equipment to conduct research. Underrepresented groups, including high school students from the city of Philadelphia, will benefit as a result of the continued commitment of the co-PIs and the College of Engineering toward providing opportunities for these groups in engineering education.