WORKSHOP: Building Links between North American Plant Biologists and Crop Scientists from Sub-Saharan Africa at ASPB 2012 to be held July 20-24, 2012 in Austin, TX

PI: Crispin Taylor[美国植物生物学家协会]Leon V. Kochian （USDA-ARS/Cornell University）、Jurandir Magalhaes （Embrapa玉米和高粱，巴西巴西利亚）和George N. Ude （Bowie州立大学）将于2012年7月20日至24日在奥斯汀举行的ASPB 2012年年会上举行一个研讨会，以扩大非洲和美国科学家之间的参与和加强联系。NSF提供的资金将支持来自东非和西非的8位作物科学家参加2011年11月15日至18日在肯尼亚内罗毕东非和中非生物科学中心（BECA）举行的“分子育种新工具”研讨会。“分子育种新工具”讲习班由植物育种委员会国际委员会主办，在国际农业研究磋商小组世代挑战计划（GCP）的协助下，与非洲作物科学学会和非洲生物科学家与生物技术专家国际学会合作，向非洲作物科学家提供了关于在植物育种和遗传多样性评估中使用分子标记和新的基因分型策略的培训。2012年ASPB研讨会计划的活动包括来自非洲和美国科学家的全体会议、与会者的简短科学报告和圆桌讨论，这些活动将以BecA研讨会的活动为基础，为非洲与会者和感兴趣的美国植物生物学家之间建立网络和建立有意义的合作提供极好的新机会。

PI: Crispin Taylor [American Association of Plant Biologists (ASPB)]CoPIs: Leon V. Kochian (USDA-ARS/Cornell University), Jurandir Magalhaes (Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, Brasilia, Brazil), and George N. Ude (Bowie State University)A workshop to broaden participation and strengthen linkages between African and US scientists will be held at the ASPB 2012 Annual Meeting July 20-24, 2012 in Austin, TX. Funding provided by NSF will support activities that involve participation of eight crop scientists from East and West Africa who attended "New Tools for Molecular Breeding", an ASPB workshop held November 15-18, 2011, on at the BioSciences of East and Central Africa (BECA) hub in Nairobi, Kenya. Sponsored by the ASPB International Committee, with assistance from the CGIAR Generation Challenge Program (GCP), and in collaboration with the African Crop Science Society and the International Society of African Bioscientists and Biotechnologists, the "New Tools for Molecular Breeding" workshop provided training to African crop scientists on the use of molecular markers and new genotyping strategies for plant breeding and genetic diversity assessment. The activities planned for the workshop at ASPB 2012 that include plenary talks from Africa- and US-based scientists, brief scientific presentations from participants, and round table discussions will build upon the activities of the BecA workshop and provide excellent new opportunities for networking and setting up meaningful collaborations between the African participants and interested US plant biologists.