MRI: Acquisition of a nanofluidic quantitative PCR/genotyping system to enhance faculty and undergraduate research.

卡尔文学院获得了一个奖项，以获得一个多功能仪器，能够精确，准确和具有成本效益的检测和定量的单个DNA分子，以确定和表征生活在复杂群落中的微生物的生物功能，并将这些微生物的身份与它们的功能联系在一起。将微生物特性与功能联系起来对于了解每种微生物如何对其宿主动物的健康或对人类的生态系统服务（如水过滤）做出贡献至关重要。该技术允许快速收集样品数据，而不需要从各自的群落中耗时且困难地分离这些微生物。具体而言，该项目将（i）确定水处理生物过滤系统中特定细菌的基因功能，有助于了解药物如何影响对有效水处理至关重要的微生物种群，（ii）用于当地受损流域的广泛生物监测和微生物来源跟踪，（iii）确定单细胞原生生物在具有经济和生态重要性的白蚁肠道中的耗氧作用，和（iv）表征细菌和细菌病毒以确定病毒是否稳定或破坏动物宿主中的基本共生细菌群落。该项目的更广泛的影响包括本科生和教师之间的许多合作研究项目的进步，在课堂上的本科研究的增强，并招聘代表性不足的群体和妇女干学科，通过参与研究。卡尔文的科学计划是建立在这样的原则，即科学概念是最好的学习，通过执行实验科学。对于本科生来说，该仪器将提供前所未有的高通量DNA技术，丰富学生的研究活动和入门和高级课程的调查技能，以及与生物和工程部门的研究导师一对一。此外，两个多机构社区伙伴关系将获得对当地流域生物污染物进行大规模监测的能力。这些项目的社会效益可能导致水处理系统设计的改进，更清洁和更安全的河流和湖泊，以及对动物和人类健康至关重要的共生微生物群落的新见解。

An award is made to Calvin College to acquire a multi-functional instrument capable of precise, accurate and cost-effective detection and quantification of single DNA molecules to identify and characterize biological function of microorganisms living in complex communities and to link the identity of these microorgansms together with their function. Linking microbial identity with function is essential in order to understand how each microbe contributes to the health of its host animal or to ecosystem services (such as water filtration) for humans. The technology allows for rapid data collection of samples without the need for time-consuming and difficult isolation of these microorganisms from their respective communities. Specifically, this project will (i) determine gene function of specific bacteria from water treatment biofiltration systems, contributing knowledge of how pharmaceuticals impact microbial populations critical to effective water treatment, (ii) be used for extensive bio-monitoring and microbial source-tracking of local impaired watersheds, (iii) determine the role of single-cell protists in oxygen consumption in the economically and ecologically important termite gut, and (iv) characterize bacteria and bacteria viruses to determine whether the viruses stabilize or disrupt essential symbiotic bacterial communities in animal hosts. The broader impacts of this project include advancement of numerous collaborative research projects between undergraduate students and faculty, enhancement of undergraduate research in the classroom, and recruitment of underrepresented groups and women to STEM disciplines, through participation in research. Calvin's science programs are built on the principle that scientific concepts are best learned through performing experimental science. For undergraduates, this instrument will provide unprecedented access to a high-throughput DNA technology, enriching student research activities and investigative skills in introductory and upper-level courses as well as one-on-one with research mentors from the biology and engineering departments. In addition, two multi-institutional community partnerships will gain the ability to do large-scale monitoring of bio-contaminants in local watersheds. Societal benefits of these projects may lead to improvements of water treatment system designs, cleaner and safer streams and lakes, and new insights into the symbiotic microbial communities critical to animal and human health.