MRI-R2: Acquisition of a Liquid Handling Robot and a High-throughput Real-time PCR Thermocycler for Genetics and Genomics Research at UND

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This Major Research Instrumentation-Recovery and Reinvestment (MRI-R2) award funds the acquisition of an integrated set of instruments to enable medium to high-throughput analysis of DNA, RNA, and protein at the University of North Dakota (UND). A high capacity PCR unit, tissue homogenizer, and associated liquid handling robot greatly enhance the UND infrastructure to support biological research. The instrumentation enables cutting-edge research training and classroom education in engineering and life sciences at the interface of disciplines, i.e., ecological genomics, systems biology, and the human-robot interface. The research is unified by an emphasis on the genetic, epigenetic, and genomic bases of biological responses to environmental stressors, including abiotic factors like temperature, atmospheric gases, humidity, and heavy metals and biotic factors like herbivores and nutrition. The influence of high-throughput technologies reaches beyond pure research to provide significant new educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. Such training opportunities are especially important for students who are demographically underrepresented in the life sciences and engineering. The nature of modern research is epitomized by the newly acquired instruments, stemming from interdisciplinary interactions among engineers, computer scientists, physicists, chemists, and biologists. The instrumentation allows students to gain valuable experiences, and may allow for the attraction or formation of new companies and higher paying jobs to the area, which in turn helps retain the state's talent and brainpower. Results from the studies enabled by the new equipment will be disseminated by student and faculty presentations at regional and national meetings, and through publication in peer-reviewed journals.