Assembling the viral tree of life

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).In recent years it has become evident that viruses play a major role in controlling and shaping all ecosystems. However, there is only a limited knowledge of the diversity and types of viruses that are found in all environments. It is estimated that less than 0.01 to 0.1 % of viruses have been discovered. The goal of the grant is to begin to overcome this deficiency by the development and implementation of tools to discover and characterize previously unknown viruses. This project will develop high throughput DNA sequencing technology of environmental samples to accomplish the overall research goals. This research meets NSF DEB goals by expanding our knowledge about the dimensions of biodiversity on the planet, and the goals of the Recovery Act to fund high risk, high return research and create and retain jobs in the scientific workforce. The broader significance and scientific importance of this project is to train the next generation of scientists in virology, while significantly contributing to the understanding of the diversity and function of life on earth. This project will train undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdoctoral scholars at the cutting edge of the life sciences. It is fully anticipated that as a result of this training these individuals will become significant future contributors to the US scientific endeavor.