MRI: Aquisition of a Molecular Ecology and Systematics Laboratory at Cincinnati Museum Center

分析生活的能力？美国的遗传密码彻底改变了生物学。由于分子遗传工具的应用，生态学和进化生物学在过去二十年中经历了一次复兴。辛辛那提博物馆中心（CMC）已经准备好进入基于分子的生态学和进化研究的现代时代。CMC动物学馆长Herman Mays Jr.博士将通过国家科学基金会的主要研究仪器奖在CMC建立一个工作分子遗传学实验室。来自当地机构联盟的教育工作者和研究人员，包括公立和私立高中，小型学院和大学，包括泽维尔大学和托马斯莫尔学院，以及辛辛那提动物园和植物园等其他机构，将在CMC的各级教育中使用该设施，从高中到研究生，并使用这些仪器在生态学和进化生物学的基础和应用研究中使用分子遗传工具。此外，这些仪器将允许无数的研究项目在CMC的近30万个动物标本上进行，并通过与实验室相关的展览和编程来教育公众关于遗传学、生态学和进化的知识。

The ability to analyze life?s genetic code has revolutionized biology. Ecology and evolutionary biology in particular have experienced a renaissance during the past two decades due to the application of molecular genetic tools. Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) is well poised to enter the modern age of molecular-based studies in ecology and evolution. Dr. Herman Mays Jr., CMC zoology curator, will develop a working molecular genetics laboratory at CMC through a Major Research Instrumentation award from the National Science Foundation. Educators and researchers from a consortium of local institutions including public and private high schools, small colleges and universities including Xavier University and Thomas More College, and other institutions such as the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden will utilize this facility at CMC in education at every level, from high school to graduate students, and use these instruments to employ molecular genetic tools in basic and applied research in ecology and evolutionary biology. Additionally, these instruments will allow a myriad of research projects to be conducted on the nearly 300,000 zoology specimens at CMC and used to educate the general public about genetics, ecology and evolution through exhibits and programming tied to the laboratory.