REU Site: Genomics and Computational Biology

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This REU Site award to the University of Georgia, located in Athens, GA, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2020- 2022. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities or from an under-represented group, will be trained in the program. The program has been in existence for 21 years and has trained over 200 REU participants, who have contributed to fundamental discoveries about telomerase, gene regulation, the biological clock, and the biochemistry of red tides. All REU participants are expected to present their research at national meetings, and about 20% are expected to publish their research findings in peer-reviewed journals. A majority of past participants have been African-Americans; other minority students and veterans are encouraged to apply. Assessment of the program will be done through the online SALG URSSA tool. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths and to provide future contacts for current REU participants.The program focuses on genomics and computational biology that includes research using systems biology, metabolomics, proteomics and glycomics. Faculty mentors come from various departments and centers including Genetics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Physics and Astronomy, Plant Biology, Plant Pathology, Complext Carbohydrate Research Center, and Microbiology. Past research projects have included the study of the biological clock, telomerase, adaptive immunity through CRISPR/CAS systems, novel algorithms for network reconstruction, identification of network motifs, and constructing large scale database tools in systems biology. In addition to conducting a research project, students receive training in ethics and and the responsible conduct of research and effective communication. Seminars and workshops provide additional opportunities for students to learn about important topics in genomics. More information about the program and an online application are available by visiting http://www.genetics.uga.edu/FGCB, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Jonathan Arnold at arnold@uga.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. David Logan at davidalogan77@gmail.com).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.