II-EN: Computational Enhancement of Analytical Metagenomics Systems

我们周围既有有害的也有良性的细菌和病毒。科学家使用一种名为元基因组学的技术来描述这些有机体的特征，方法是从样本中提取DNA，并破译所有DNA序列的遗传密码。以元基因组学为代表的科学方法是生成数据，并依靠大型、快速的计算机来解决复杂的问题。分析元基因组学系统的计算增强奖在计算基础设施和培训方面支持这项工作。智力优势：致力于这个项目的团队在元基因组数据的工具和分析开发方面处于世界领先地位。该奖项支持的计算基础设施在未来十年继续保持在这一领域的领先地位。圣地亚哥州立大学以及加州、美国和世界各地的其他大学的研究人员也在使用这种计算基础设施。这种基础设施使研究人员能够解决他们以前无法解决的真正困难的问题。一个约500个核心计算机集群，包括具有大量内存和磁盘存储空间的机器，允许科学家运行分析这些数据所需的大量计算，以保护我们的国家，开发新的疗法，并了解我们的世界。广泛的影响：这项提议直接支持NSF转型本科生教育计划，该计划向圣地亚哥州立大学的本科生教授基因组学和元基因组学，圣地亚哥州立大学是一所服务于西班牙裔的机构。在过去的六年里，SDSU通过提供使用尖端研究设备的途径，提高了所有学生的毕业率，就像这里建议的那样。

There are both harmful and benign bacteria and viruses all around us. Scientists use a technique called metagenomics to characterize these organisms by extracting DNA from a sample, and deciphering the genetic code of all of the DNA sequences. The scientific approach typified by metagenomics is to generate data and rely on large, fast, computers to solve complex problems. The Computational Enhancement of Analytical Metagenomics Systems award supports this work with computational infrastructure and training.Intellectual Merit: The team working on this project are world-leaders in the development of tools and analyses for metagenomics data. The computational infrastructure enabled by this award continues their leadership in this area for the coming decade. The computing infrastructure is also used by researchers at both San Diego State and other Universities in California, the United States, and around the world. The infrastructure enables the researchers to tackle really difficult problems that they couldn't approach before. An ~500 core computer cluster including machines with lots of memory and disk storage space allows the scientists to run their massive computations required to analyze this data to protect our nation, develop new therapeutics and understand our world.Broader Impacts: This proposal directly supports an NSF Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science program that teaches genomics and metagenomics to undergraduate students at San Diego State University, an Hispanic-Serving Institution. Over the last six years SDSU has improved the graduation rate of all students by providing access to cutting edge research equipment like that proposed here.