Establishment of a Research Group for the Study of Genetics and Cell Biology in Fungi

少数族裔机构研究改进计划（RIMI）的设立是为了提供支持，加强以少数族裔为主的机构或拥有大量少数族裔学生的机构的研究环境和能力。符合条件的机构还必须有科学或工程方面的研究生课程。该基金为教师在科学和工程领域的研究提供资金，并为购置研究仪器提供资金。杰克逊州立大学将利用RIMI的支持来研究衰老（变老的过程）和使用副性行为作为控制害虫的新工具。在遗传学和细胞生物学的大标题下，杰克逊州立大学的研究小组将使用一项研究，通过二维凝胶电泳来寻找衰老过程中独特的蛋白质。在另一个项目中，该小组将把真菌分离的分生孢子暴露在紫外线下以获得突变体。这些突变体和原性体细胞二倍体将进行毒力测试。该项目将进一步推动该机构在杰克逊州立大学建立分子生物学研究所的目标。该项目的首席研究员是一位训练有素的植物病理学家和昆虫学家，他在期刊上发表了大量文章。基金会之所以支持这个项目，是因为少数族裔教师和学生将有更多的机会参与分子生物学方面有价值的研究。

The Research Improvement in Minority Institutions (RIMI) program was established to provide support to strengthen the research environments and capabilities of predominantly minority institutions or institutions that have substantial minority student populations. Eligible institutions must also have graduate programs in science or programs in engineering. Funding is provided for faculty research in fields of science and engineering supported by the Foundation and for the acquisition of research instrumentation. Jackson State University will use RIMI support to study senescence (process of becoming old) and the use of parasexuality as a new tool in the control of insect pests. Under the broad heading of genetics and cell biology, the Jackson State research group will use one study to search for unique proteins during senescence by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. In another project, the group will expose conidia from fungi isolates to ultraviolet light to obtain mutants. These mutants and prototropic somatic diploids will be tested for virulence. This project will further the institution's goal of establishing a Molecular Biology Research Institute at Jackson State University. The principal investigator of this project is a well-trained plant pathologist and entomologist who has published extensively in refereed journals. The Foundation has supported this project because more opportunities will be available for minority faculty and students to participate in meritorious research in molecular biology.