PFI: Scaling a New Adaptive Peak for Cotton

该创新伙伴关系（PFI）项目是乔治亚大学（UGA）， NSF PFI毕业生（0125304）和德克萨斯理工大学之间的II型（a:B）合作伙伴关系，其中当前项目团队和运营的一名成员被安置在另一个NSF支持的合作伙伴计划下进行的研究：生物基础设施部门的植物基因组研究项目（9872630）。在追求美国领导全球向生物基产品过渡的愿景中，该项目团队寻求开发和实施基因组启用工具，以重新注入棉花基因库的遗传多样性，为生产者、加工商和消费者的需求提供环保的解决方案。棉花基因组测序进展迅速，提出该项目的基本原理是棉花界面临的最大挑战是将序列转化为知识。虽然可能有一半的棉花基因的功能可以通过与植物模型的比较推断出来，但棉花基因组比植物模型更复杂，这将需要更多的新投资来实现其测序的潜在好处。大约20年前，乔治亚州就认识到工商业的成功需要基础研究和商业化之间的密切联系，并且已经做好了准备，通过不同的商业化阶段培育由基础研究成果催生的新企业。该项目的合作伙伴网络将是将使能资源持续转化为经济效益的关键。这种转变预计将至少通过三个途径发生：(1)新的企业增加生物基产品的价值，扩大和多样化区域创业机会；(2)通过与公共研究人员合作，作为虚拟研发资源，使企业能够识别和获取价值；(3)通过加强公共部门的研究能力，提高棉花科学研究的水平和质量。为了更充分地满足国家创新企业的广泛劳动力需求，项目团队将与4-H和美国未来农民（FFA）等有效的外联网络合作，培养本土专业人员的职业发展，并为他们提供利用这些工具所需的培训，同时保持这些个人与长期以来一直是人才流失受害者的农村社区的联系。拟议的活动与强有力的培训和外展计划密切相关，这些计划具有吸引科学领域代表性不足的群体的悠久历史，并受益于机构和州一级的重大承诺。项目开始时的合作伙伴是学术机构：佐治亚大学（牵头机构）和德克萨斯理工大学；私营部门组织：植物生物技术研究协会；棉花,Inc .,佐治亚研究联盟；以及州和地方政府机构：乔治亚州农业综合企业委员会、乔治亚州传统产业计划和一个乔治亚州管理局。

This Partnerships for Innovation (PFI) project is a Type II (A:B) partnership between The University of Georgia (UGA), a NSF PFI graduate (0125304), and Texas Tech University, where one of the members of the current project team and operations were housed for research conducted under another NSF-supported partnership program: Plant Genome Research Project in the Division of Biological Infrastructure (9872630). In the pursuit of a vision of U.S. leadership for a global transition to bio-based products, the project team seeks to develop and implement genomic enabling tools needed to reinvigorate the infusion of genetic diversity into the cotton gene pool, providing environmentally benign solutions to the needs of producers, processors, and consumers. Cotton genome sequencing is proceeding rapidly, and the rationale for the proposed project is that the greatest challenge facing the cotton community is the conversion of sequence to knowledge. While the functions of perhaps half of the cotton genes can be deduced from comparison to botanical models, the greater complexity of the cotton genome than those of botanical models will require much new investment to realize the potential benefits of its sequencing. The state of Georgia recognized about two decades ago that success of businesses and industries demanded close ties between basic research and commercialization, and has positioned itself well to nurture new ventures spawned by basic research findings through the various stages of commercialization. The network of partners on the project will be key to sustained transformation of enabling resources into economic benefits. This transformation is expected to occur along at least three avenues: (1) New ventures to add value to bio-based products, expanding and diversifying regional entrepreneurial opportunities; (2) Empowering businesses by partnering with public researchers as a virtual R&D resource to identify and capture value, and (3) Elevating the level and quality of science that can be done in cotton, as a result of strengthening public-sector research capacity. To more fully meet the broad workforce needs of the national innovation enterprise, the project team will partner with effective outreach networks such as 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) to nurture the career development of home-grown professionals with the training needed to exploit these tools, while preserving the links of these individuals to rural communities that have long been casualties of brain drain. The proposed activities are closely-tied to strong training and outreach programs with a strong history of engaging groups under-represented in the sciences, and which benefit from major commitments at the institutional and state level.Partners at the inception of the project are Academic Institutions: The University of Georgia (lead institution) and Texas Tech University; Private Sector Organizations: The Consortium for Plant Biotechnology Research, Inc.; Cotton, Inc.; and The Georgia Research Alliance; and State and Local Government Agencies: The Georgia Agribusiness Council, The Georgia Traditional Industries Program, and The OneGeorgia Authority.