MRI-R2: Acquisition of a Gene Expression Monitoring System to Enhance Faculty-Student Collaborative Research

该奖项由2009年美国复苏与再投资法案(公法111-5)资助。哈姆林大学已获得NSF MRI-R2项目的支持，用于购买BioRad CFX96多色实时聚合酶链式反应系统和NanoDrop 2000c分光光度计。由这些仪器实现的对基因表达的定量监测是哈姆林生物学学院许多项目的核心。生物系的研究项目涉及植物对染色体失衡和环境胁迫的反应、植物与微生物的相互作用、细胞生物学、植物分生组织发育、春化和开花时间的分子控制、环境微生物学、早期果蝇发育和入侵物种种群的遗传分析。新的仪器将增加使用基因表达分析的学生和教师的数量，并提高研究过程中产生的数据的质量。哈姆莱恩的生物系致力于创造一个让学生有多种机会学习、产生兴趣并接受研究培训的环境。哈姆莱恩大学超过25%的学生是返校获取额外学位或证书的大龄学生。毕业后，他们在不同的领域寻求职业，包括研究生教育、健康专业课程、工业职业和中学科学教师。接触到现代仪器可以确保这些人在他们选择的职业中具有竞争力。哈姆莱恩生物系还开办了一个夏季生物技术研究所，以满足让高中生物教师了解生物科学快速进步的迫切需要。通过使用现代仪器的动手调查实验室，教师将他们对现代生物学技术和概念的理解以及他们的兴奋和参与转移到高中生身上，潜在地加强了科学教育，提高了高中生对科学的感知。实时聚合酶链式反应技术将是目前在该项目中使用的一系列分子生物学应用的重要补充。新工具支持的研究和推广项目的成果将在同行评议的期刊上传播，并由学生和教职员工在区域或国家会议上发表演讲。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Support from the NSF MRI-R2 program has been awarded to Hamline University for the purchase of a BioRad CFX96 Multi-Color Real-Time PCR system and a NanoDrop 2000c spectrophotometer. Quantitative monitoring of gene expression, as enabled by these instruments, is central to many projects of Hamline Biology faculty. Research projects conducted by faculty of the Biology Department address a variety of questions about plant response to chromosomal imbalance and environmental stresses, plant-microbial interactions, cell biology, plant meristem development, molecular control of vernalization and flowering time, environmental microbiology, early Drosophila development, and genetic analysis of invasive species populations. The new instruments will increase the number of students and faculty using gene expression analysis and enhance the quality of the data produced during the studies. The Biology Department at Hamline strives to create an environment where students have multiple opportunities to learn, become interested in, and receive training to do research. Over 25% of Hamline University students are older students returning to school for an additional degree or certificate. After graduation, they pursue careers in a variety of fields, including graduate education, health profession programs, careers in industry, and as secondary school science teachers. Access to modern instrumentation ensures that these individuals will be competitive in their chosen careers. The Hamline Biology Department also runs a Summer Biotechnology Institute to address the urgent need to bring high school biology teachers up-to-speed on the rapid advancements in biological sciences. Teachers engaged by hands-on investigative laboratories involving modern instrumentation transfer their understanding of modern biology techniques and concepts and their excitement and engagement to the high school students, potentially enhancing science education and improving perception of science by high school students. Real-time PCR technology will be an important addition to a set of molecular biology applications currently in use in this program. Results from the research and outreach projects enabled by the new instrumentation will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, and by student and faculty presentations at regional or national meetings.