MRI-R2: Acquisition of genomic and bioinformatic technology to promote research at the University of Puerto Rico

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。这项主要研究仪器-回收和再投资（MRI-R2）奖励为波多黎各大学-里约热内卢Piedras购买下一代测序系统提供资金。新的测序系统将支持新热带地区生物多样性研究的一系列研究项目。新系统将大大提高研究生产力和培养这方面的学生。重点研究领域有：1)环境基因组学；2)发育基因组学；3)进化与生态基因组学；4)生物信息学。所有项目都促进了每个研究领域内的研究人员之间、与其他研究领域、波多黎各大学以及当地、国家和国际科学界之间的跨学科和跨学科协同作用和互动。这个项目的智力价值有四个方面：1)在一个主要为西班牙裔服务的中等教育机构中加强竞争性研究；2)培养下一代研究人员使用世界一流的基因组和生物信息学技术；3)通过提供具有竞争力和吸引力的研究培训机会，为西班牙裔学生提供基础科学研究作为科学职业选择的更高知名度；4)在波多黎各、波多黎各和加勒比大学内建立跨学科和跨学科研究的运作机制。拟议活动的更广泛影响包括向波多黎各大学研究界扩大基因组学和生物信息学服务。除了这些服务外，为波多黎各各学术机构的研究人员和学生举办的研讨会和讲习班将纳入新的测序系统的数据。这些活动导致在使用基因组科学的不同研究领域之间进行研究、教育和知识转移方面的重大协同和综合活动。此次收购还将支持增加获得基因组数据的努力，并增加从事研究和教育的受过训练的西班牙裔少数民族专业人员的数量。使用新测序仪进行的研究数据将发表在同行评议的期刊上，并通过学生和教师在区域和国家会议上的发言传播。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).This Major Research Instrumentation-Recovery and Reinvestment (MRI-R2) award funds the purchase of a next-generation sequencing system for the University of Puerto Rico- Rio Piedras. The new sequencer system will support a range of research projects investigating biodiversity research in the Neotropics. The new system will significantly enhance research productivity and the training of students in this area. Focal research areas are: 1) environmental genomics, 2) developmental genomics, 3) evolutionary and ecological genomics, and 4) bioinformatics. All projects foster inter- and trans- disciplinary synergies and interactions among research fellows within each research area, with other research areas, the University of Puerto Rico, and the local, national and international scientific communities. The intellectual merits of this project are fourfold: 1) enhance competitive research in a primarily Hispanic serving institution of secondary education; 2) train next generation of researchers in the use of world class genomic and bioinformatics techniques; 3) provides higher visibility for basic science research as a science career option to Hispanic students by providing competitive and attractive research training opportunities and, 4) builds an operational mechanism for inter- and trans-disciplinary research within the University of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. The broader impacts of the proposed activities include an expansion of genomic and bioinformatics services to the University of Puerto Rico research community. In addition to these services, seminars and workshops to researchers and students throughout academic institutions in Puerto Rico will incorporate data from the new sequencing system. Such activities result in significant synergic and integrative activities in research, education and knowledge-transfer among disparate research areas that use genomic science. The acquisition will also support efforts to increase access to genomic data and the numbers of trained Hispanic minority professionals engaged in research and education. Data from the studies performed with the new sequencer will be published in peer-reviewed journals, and disseminated by student and faculty presentations at regional and national meetings.