Training in Genomics Research (TiGeR)

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Genomics science gives us a better understanding of the interactions between genes and the environment, thus allowing researchers to find better ways to improve health and prevent diseases. The Training in Genomics Research (TiGeR) Track will engage students from under-represented populations, such as those from racial and/or ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities, those from sexual and gender minority groups, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program will target qualified candidates from these under-represented communities with undergraduate degrees in computer science, mathematics, or statistics with limited or no experience working with genomics datasets. The TiGeR Track program’s main goal is to prepare students for successful careers as computational experts in genomics research. This goal will be accomplished through our targeted recruitment and retention efforts within the two- year graduate curriculum culminating in a master’s degree in biological data science with a concentration on genomics research. The TiGeR Track will be integrated into our recently established Master’s in Biological Data Science (MSBDS) degree program. The MSBDS is an interdisciplinary program that capitalizes on the three pillars of specialty within the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences (SMNS) at Arizona State University (ASU) West: computer science, life sciences, and mathematics. However, the MSBDS currently has no focus on genomics research nor bioinformatics, and the TiGeR Track will help fill this gap. In addition to extensive course work and supervised hands-on research activities, the TiGeR students will be trained in AnVIL - a cloud-based platform for computational genomics as well as other genomics toolsets using publicly available datasets and repositories. Combining a strong focus on genomics research and large-scale data analytics skills will equip our TiGeR graduates to be immediate and valuable contributors to industry and research jobs in the genomics science sector. We will target, recruit and retain a diverse pool of students to develop into the next generation's thought leaders in genomics sciences. By recruiting students that represent the communities surrounding our institution, we will maximize deeper ties with surrounding communities at the regional level and generate a diverse science workforce that can compete globally. The TiGeR Track program will provide a model of interdisciplinary collaboration in genomics sciences among faculty within SMNS and other stakeholders on and off-campus. To be prepared to undertake a career in genomics science, the TiGeR Track graduates require a strong foundation of skilled creativity and the ability to identify and achieve scientific goals of significance to the biomedical and biosciences research enterprise. Throughout their tenure in the TiGeR Track program, the students will develop skills to utilize and analyze genomic datasets from the public domain in a research laboratory setting. While a robust interdisciplinary and immersive instruction structure is already present for data science training within the MSBDS degree program, additional resources are required to establish the genomics science curriculum, particularly in a way that will support students from under-represented backgrounds. Hence, we are submitting this grant application.