MRI: Acquisition of a Next Generation Sequencing System for Genomics Research and Training at the University of Massachusetts Lowell

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An award is made to the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML) to acquire a Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) system, which will provide UML faculty, students, staff and external community partners with current genomics instrumentation and training. The system centerpiece, an Illumina NextSeq 500 Desktop Sequencer, will significantly advance UML infrastructure for conducting innovative genomic-level research in biological engineering, evolutionary biology and environmental sciences. The Illumina instrument and associated equipment will meet an acute need for modern infrastructure to support genomics research and training at UML, where previously there was no DNA sequencing instrument on campus. The Illumina machine will also be incorporated into student-centered research, experiential coursework and outreach activities at UML to broaden participation in cutting-edge research and expand opportunities for students in professional training for biotechnology careers. Numerous UML students enter the regionally important biotechnology workforce, and the awarded Illumina instrument will strengthen the local economy by exposing students to modern sequencing technology. The award will enrich education at UML with the development of an NGS learning module that will be implemented into several undergraduate and graduate courses. A workshop dedicated to the use and application of the Illumina instrument will be developed for faculty, students and external users. An annual NGS research and educational symposium at UML will facilitate collaborations and attract new users of the instrument. The University of Massachusetts Lowell serves an ethnically and economically diverse student body and faculty employing the NGS system will recruit underrepresented minority and female students for participation in research involving use of the Illumina instrument. In addition, UML undergraduates in a Service Learning Genomics course will devise presentations on NGS and genomics to high school students. Accordingly, societal benefits of the project will include raising scientific literacy of the public, lowering barriers to scientific participation, and strengthening the regional economy.This award will establish a new Genomics Core Facility at UML, where there are 40 faculty and students conducting genome-focused research. The NGS system will considerably advance research in diverse disciplines, and projects employing the new Illumina instrument include those aimed at understanding: 1) trace element cellular metabolism; 2) venom evolutionary genomics; 3) microbial community structure; 4) metazoan phylogeny; 5) NGS assembly software performance; and 6) transcriptional control of immune cell development. These studies will utilize the Illumina instrument to perform a spectrum of techniques including: 1) targeted genome re-sequencing; 2) whole-transcriptome sequencing; 3) quantification of genome-wide expression levels; 4) sequencing of microbial DNA amplified from environmental sample; and 5) chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing to determine genome regulatory regions and DNA-protein interactions. Thus, the award will significantly expand research opportunities for UML faculty and students and enhance the intellectual environment supporting biological research.