Understanding Genetic Mechanisms within the Natural World

落基山生物实验室(RMBL)获得一笔赠款，通过购买设备创建生态基因组实验室来加强其研究和教育计划。这将为科学家提供机会，将迅速出现的基因组技术应用于了解相对原始环境中的动植物。生物学中的一些基本问题需要将自然环境与遗传学联系起来。在自然条件下，将基因与个体表现联系起来的生理机制是什么？哪些环境因素会影响基因活性？进化会跟上不断变化的世界的步伐吗？该项目通过在野外环境中创建生态基因组实验室，将有助于在研究最好的生态系统之一和科学家在本国机构拥有的强大仪器之间建立一座桥梁。RMBL位于科罗拉多州落基山脉中南部，是一个501c3组织，旨在促进对自然的深入科学理解，促进对地球的知情管理。RMBL每年接待来自100多个机构的160名学生研究人员和科学家，提供访问受保护的研究地点和研究设施的机会，这些设施是实地研究地点与其本国机构之间的桥梁。RMBL的研究为一系列生态和进化问题提供了关键的见解，包括进化、河流生态学、气候变化、种群动力学、行为生态学和互惠关系。此外，RMBL的研究还为溪流管理、水和空气质量以及气候变化提供了政策依据。关于RMBL的更多信息可以在rmbl.org上找到。随着允许科学家研究基因的工具的爆炸性增长，现场科学家有了迅速出现的机会来阐明生物体在自然环境中如何表现的遗传和相关的生理机制。来自国家科学基金会的资金将用于购买研究设备，包括层流罩、高压灭菌器、冷冻干燥器、超冷冷冻机、热循环器、植物生长室以及便携式光合作用和荧光系统。除了资助购买支持科学家的设备外，这笔资金还将支持当地社区学校以生态基因组学为中心的课程的开发和实施。课程开发将为农村社区的学生提供接受现代研究技术培训的独特机会，并将有助于国家努力确保通过具有科学素养的劳动力保持经济增长。

The Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) is awarded a grant to enhance its research and education programs by purchasing equipment to create an ecological genomics laboratory. This will provide scientists the opportunity apply rapidly emerging genomic techniques to understanding plants and animals in relatively pristine environments. A number of fundamental questions in biology require bridging the natural environment with genetics. What are the physiological mechanisms linking genes to individual performance under natural conditions? What environmental factors influence gene activity? Will evolution keep pace with a changing world? This project, by creating an ecological genomics laboratory in a field setting, will help create a bridge between one of the best studied ecosystems and the powerful instrumentation scientists have at their home institutions. Located in the southern central Colorado Rockies, RMBL is a 501c3 organization that advances the deep scientific understanding of nature that promotes informed stewardship of the Earth. Each year RMBL hosts 160 student researchers and scientists from 100+ institutions, providing access to protected research sites and the research facilities needed to serve as a bridge between field sites and their home institutions. Research at RMBL has provided critical insights into a range of ecological and evolutionary questions, including evolution, stream ecology, climate change, population dynamics, behavioral ecology, and mutualisms. Additionally, research at RMBL has informed policy on management of streams, water and air quality, and climate change. More information on RMBL can be found at rmbl.org.With the explosion of tools that allow scientists to study genes, field scientists have rapidly emerging opportunities to elucidate the genetic and associated physiological mechanisms underlying how organisms perform in natural environments. Funding from the National Science Foundation will be used to purchase research equipment, including a laminar flow hood, an autoclave, a freeze drier, an ultra-cold freezer, a thermal cycler, plant growth chambers, and a Portable Photosynthesis and Fluorescence System. In addition to funding acquisition of equipment to support scientists, the funding will also support development and implementation of curriculum centered on ecological genomics for the local community school. The curriculum development will provide a unique opportunity for students in a rural community to receive training in modern research techniques and will contribute to national efforts to ensure maintain economic growth through a scientifically literate workforce.