MRI: Acquisition of an Illumina NextSeq 550 System to Support Genomic Research and Research Training at University of Nebraska at Omaha

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An award is made to the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) to acquire an Illumina next-generation sequencing (NGS) system in order to improve its research infrastructure. UNO is an emerging doctoral/research institution and is committed to supporting the acquisition of this NGS system and the subsequent establishment of a genomics facility. Utilizing an internal machine that is staffed by a trained technician will allow significant cost savings and ultimately increased utilization of the facility across the campus, within the Omaha area and beyond. The facility will provide training on instrument usage to UNO researchers and external users in the form of workshops, learning modules, and annual symposia. The research and career opportunities to students from underrepresented groups will be offered through well-established, community-serving programs within UNO. The requested instrumentation will support basic research through the application of NGS technology to a broad spectrum of collaborative and interdisciplinary projects. Researchers from across the UNO campus, as well as neighboring institutions, will be able to utilize the NGS system to address a wide range of fundamental scientific questions regarding 1) neural and behavioral systems, 2) conservation genetics and systematics, 3) microbiology and molecular genetics, and 4) molecular interaction and gene regulation. These studies will lead to a better understanding of how genomes regulate complex living systems at cellular or organismal levels and will likely result in new discoveries in areas such as biodiversity and cellular function. The acquisition of the Illumina system will significantly advance a broad array of leading-edge research projects involving high-throughput sequencing and greatly strengthen the university?s research training capacities in genomics and bioinformatics.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.