Thermal cycler and microcentrifuge for genetic characterization

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Obtaining genetic data from plants and animals collected in the wild is central to a wide range of applications within biological sciences.  In my lab, my students and I use genetic data from plants in two main areas of research.  The first of these is the study of invasive species; we are using genetic data to track the movements of individuals and populations, and to look for evidence of local adaptation in populations that are moving into new environments.  Our second main area of research is the conservation genetics of threatened or endangered plants that are endemic to Canada.  Conservation genetics helps us to manage threatened populations by providing us with information on which populations may be most at risk (e.g. those with low levels of genetic diversity), and which populations may provide suitable donors in transplantation experiments.   In order to obtain the genetic data necessary to my research, I require a thermal cycler in my lab.  This is arguably the most important piece of equipment in molecular biology, because it allows researchers to amplify target regions of DNA from small amounts of starting material.  The subsequent characterization of these amplified regions provides genetic information on individual plants and animals, which in turn allows researchers to quantify parameters such as genetic diversity and the connectivity of populations.  NSERC funding for the purchase of a thermal cycler will greatly increase the level of research in my lab, and allow my students and me to target a wider range of species that are either causing problems through their invasive behaviour, or need population management if they are to avoid extinction.