MRI: Acquisition of a Next-Generation Sequencer for Biological Research at a Hispanic Serving Institution in South Texas

德克萨斯大学泛美分校是德克萨斯州南部的一个西班牙裔服务机构，它获得了一个新一代DNA测序仪，以推进和促进生物学研究。下一代测序是指比传统的桑格DNA测序方法更快、更稳健的DNA测序技术和分析。下一代测序允许同时发生数千到数十亿个短测序反应，并生成大量序列数据。研究团队将包括来自互补生物学科的多元化教师（终身教职和终身教职），这些学科将把下一代测序纳入他们的研究，以解决微生物学，植物科学，动物学，遗传学，生理学，生态学中的主要生物学问题，并用于实验室课程的教育目的。示例项目包括：㈠对微生物砷解毒途径进行基于基因组学的进化研究; ㈡植物病原体的比较基因组学; ㈢对热带和新大陆牵牛花进行植物系统研究; ㈣对植物对环境压力的反应进行转录组分析; ㈤沙蟹的物种形成和系统发育研究; ㈥昆虫的发育基因组学; ㈦作为南美锥虫病媒介的昆虫物种分布研究; ㈧高年级生物学课程的课堂项目。项目的广度，沿着未来的项目和合作，将推进和扩大部门和大学的研究和教育能力。 研究人员和研究生将直接使用该仪器;因此，由于用户能够直接访问该技术，研究和学习将受到积极影响。获得下一代测序仪将使UTPA的研究人员，他们的西班牙裔学生和附近机构的合作者能够进行目前无法进行的尖端研究。下一代测序仪将允许教师导师培训新的学生研究人员，并在高年级生物学课程中使用该技术。这不仅有可能改变德克萨斯大学泛美分校的研究和教育，而且有可能改变整个南德克萨斯地区的研究和教育。该研究小组包括四名妇女，其中一名是西班牙裔，另一名有残疾。下一代测序仪将增加在南德克萨斯州和美国进行生物研究的西班牙裔，妇女和残疾人的数量。

An award is made to the University of Texas Pan American, a Hispanic Serving Institution in South Texas, to acquire a next-generation DNA sequencer to advance and promote biological research. Next-generation sequencing refers to DNA sequencing techniques and analyses that are faster and more robust than the traditional Sanger Method for sequencing DNA. Next-generation sequencing allows for thousands to billions of short sequencing reactions to occur simultaneously and large amounts of sequence data to be generated. The research team will include a diverse group of faculty (tenured and tenure-track) from complementary biological disciplines that will incorporate next-generation sequencing into their research to address major biological questions in microbiology, plant science, zoology, genetics, physiology, ecology, and for educational purposes in laboratory classes. Example projects include: (i) Genomics-based evolutionary studies of microbial arsenic detoxification pathways; (ii) Comparative genomics of plant pathogens; (iii) Plant systematic studies of Tropical and New World morning glories; (iv) Transcriptome analyses of plant responses to environmental stressors; (v) Speciation and phylogenetic studies of sand crabs; (vi) Developmental genomics of insects; (vii) Species distribution studies of insect that serves as vectors for Chagas Disease; and (viii) Classroom-based projects in upper-division Biology courses. The breadth of projects, along with future projects and collaborations, will advance and expand the department's and university's research and education capabilities. Researchers and research students will use the instrument directly; thus, research and learning will be positively impacted due to the ability of users to directly access the technology. Acquiring a next-generation sequencer will allow researchers at UTPA, their Hispanic students, and collaborators at nearby institutions to perform cutting-edge research that is currently not available to them. A next-generation sequencer will allow faculty mentors to train new student researchers and use the technology in upper-division Biology courses. This has the potential to not only transform research and education for the University of Texas Pan American, but transform research and education for the entire South Texas region. The research team includes four women, one of whom is Hispanic and one that has a disability. A next-generation sequencer will increase the number of Hispanics, women, and disabled persons conducting biological research in South Texas and in the USA.