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

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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.