Planning Proposal: CREST Center in Bioinformatics

在科学和技术卓越研究中心(CREST)的支持下，该项目旨在在少数族裔服务机构(MSI)德克萨斯州立大学(TXST)建立一个全国公认的生物信息学研究和培训中心。生物信息学技能被广泛定义为处理和分析大量生物数据的方法，在国家劳动力中的需求越来越大。然而，在接受生物信息学培训的STEM毕业生中，代表不足的少数群体(URM)的代表性很差。拟建的中心将把一群不同的科学家聚集在一起，将生物信息学方法应用于生态和进化研究。此外，我们的项目将通过创建新的课程作为本科培训渠道的一部分，解决生物信息相关领域URM学生的招聘和培训方面的差距。在研究生阶段，该中心的工作人员将把现有的生物信息学课程转化为博士课程。这些努力结合在一起，将直接解决各国在生物信息学URM培训方面的空白，并加大努力创建国家认可的生物信息学中心。该项目通过准备生物信息学CREST中心提案，支持生物信息学研究和培训中心的初步发展。生物信息学和相关领域是美国增长最快的行业之一。然而，在更广泛的生物信息学劳动力中，URM的代表性仍然很低。TXST的一批强大的教职员工目前正在研究生物信息学方法，并提供生物信息学技能的研究生培训。该计划将在这些优势的基础上发展：1)生物信息学研究人员的协同小组，2)本科生生物信息学培训，以及3)中心评估和可持续性计划。CREST计划通过建立有效整合教育和研究的中心，为提高少数群体服务机构的研究能力提供支持。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With support from the Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST), this project aims to develop a nationally recognized center in bioinformatics research and training at Texas State University (TXST), a minority serving institution (MSI). Bioinformatics skills, broadly defined as approaches for processing and analyzing large biological data, are increasingly in demand in the national workforce. However, underrepresented minority (URM) groups are poorly embodied among STEM graduates with bioinformatics training. The proposed center will bring together a diverse group of scientists applying bioinformatic approaches to ecological and evolutionary research. Furthermore, our project will address gaps in the recruitment and training of URM students in bioinformatic-related fields by creating new curriculum as part of an undergraduate training pipeline. At the graduate level, the center staff will transform existing bioinformatics coursework into a PhD program. Combined, these efforts will directly address national gaps in the training of URM in bioinformatics and augment efforts to create a nationally recognized bioinformatics center.This project supports the initial development of a research and training center in bioinformatics through preparation of a Bioinformatics CREST center proposal. Bioinformatics and related fields are among the fastest growing sectors in the US. However, URMs remain poorly represented within the broader bioinformatic workforce. A robust group of faculty at TXST are currently working with bioinformatics approaches and offering graduate training in bioinformatic skills. The program will build upon these strengths to develop: 1) a synergistic group of researchers working with bioinformatics, 2) undergraduate bioinformatic training, and 3) plans for center evaluation and sustainability. The CREST program provides support to enhance the research capabilities of minority-serving institutions through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate education and research.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.