MRI: The Core Genomics Laboratory for Teaching and Research in Biotechnology

0722854 Duran 8仪器将用于基因组学水平的生物工程研究和教学在维拉诺瓦大学，即：遗传分析仪，实时PCR系统，液相色谱仪与紫外-可见光和光散射检测器，细胞活力分析仪，落射荧光显微镜，平板阅读器，和两个冷冻机。这些仪器将构成新的核心基因组学实验室的分析基础设施。新的实验室和所要求的仪器是对共同主要研究员目前使用的现有实验室的重大升级。新设施和所要求的仪器所带来的能力将允许co-PI将现代基因组学水平的实验协议纳入其当前和未来的环境微生物学，生物加工，机械转导和基于微结构光纤光谱的生物传感器的研究和教学活动。这一建议具有重大的知识价值，因为它将使共同主要研究员能够在他们通过先前的工作已经确立了能力的领域进行高级研究。需要所要求的仪器的目前和几项计划中的研究的详细情况在本提案的后面几节中介绍。这些高级研究将有助于扩大共同首席执行官各自专业领域的知识基础。这一提议也具有重大的广泛影响。首先，获得所要求的仪器将有助于发展实验基础设施，供共同研究所用于研究和教育目的。通过提高co-PI吸引资助研究的能力，更多的研究生将有机会在基因组学研究中发挥积极作用，作为他们研究生教育的一部分。合作PI还致力于将研究真正融入本科教育体验。通过提案中描述的各种机制，本科生将有机会使用所要求的设备进行研究。代表性不足的群体，包括来自费城市的高中生，将受益于co-PI和工程学院的持续承诺，为这些群体提供工程教育的机会。

0722854DuranEight instruments are requested that will be utilized for genomics level bioengineering research and teaching at Villanova University, namely: a genetic analyzer, a real-time PCR system, a liquid chromatograph with UV-Vis and light scattering detectors, a cell viability analyzer, an epifluorescent microscope, a plate reader, and two freezers. These instruments will form the analytical infrastructure of a new Core Genomics Laboratory. The new laboratory and the instruments requested represent a significant upgrade from the existing laboratories currently used by the co-PIs. The capabilities brought about by the new facility and the requested instruments will allow co-PIs to incorporate modern genomics level experimental protocols into their current and future research and teaching activities in environmental microbiology, bioprocessing, mechanotransduction, and microstructured optical fiber spectroscopy-based biological sensors. This proposal has significant intellectual merit in that it will allow the co-PIs to conduct advanced research in areas which they have well-established competence through prior work. The details of the current and several planned studies that necessitate the requested instruments are presented in the later sections of this proposal. These advanced studies will help to expand the knowledge base in the co-PIs' respective fields of expertise. This proposal also has significant broader impacts. First, acquisition of the requested instruments will help develop the experimental infrastructure available to the co-PIs for research and educational purposes. By improving the ability of the co-PIs to attract funded research, more graduate students will have the opportunity to take an active role in genomics research as part of their graduate education. The co-PIs are also committed to a true integration of research into the undergraduate educational experience. Through a variety of mechanisms described in the proposal, undergraduates will have the opportunity to use the requested equipment to conduct research. Underrepresented groups, including high school students from the city of Philadelphia, will benefit as a result of the continued commitment of the co-PIs and the College of Engineering toward providing opportunities for these groups in engineering education.