McMaster Plant Growth Facility Renewal, Phase II

麦克马斯特大学生物系的植物生物学家研究植物如何对各种环境因素做出反应，长期目标是改善作物产量和本地生态系统。Weretilnyk博士和Dudley博士正在努力了解自然环境和农作物田中的植物如何应对干旱和高盐分等非生物胁迫。卡梅隆、费南和埃利奥特博士对了解植物与微生物的相互作用很感兴趣，既有共生的(费南、埃利奥特)，也有致病的(卡梅伦)。此外，杜德利博士对植物竞争与合作方面的植物与植物之间的相互作用很感兴趣。为了继续为我们各自的领域做出贡献，我们需要能够精确控制温度、光照和湿度的现代生长室。我们正在为麦克马斯特植物生长设施的第二阶段更新申请资金。在第一阶段，Cameron博士和Weretilnyk博士成功地获得了资金(2011年NSERC RTI，2011年CFI-LOF)，以更换6个陈旧的康维龙生长室(2个EY15，4个E7H)，并扩大了设施的容量，以满足他们的ORF Eutrema Stress基因组研究(2010-2015)的需求。在第二阶段，我们希望用具有LED(发光二极管)照明的现代精确控制的多层生长室取代剩余的已有40年历史的康维龙试验室。这不仅将扩大麦克马斯特生长设施的生长能力，还将提供模拟田间和温室条件的照明，从而加强生物系所有植物生物学家的研究计划。我们工厂设施的现状意味着菲南、卡梅隆和韦里蒂尼克博士必须放弃对他们的研究计划至关重要的实验。此外，目前没有可供达德利或埃利奥特博士使用的生长室空间，他们的研究已经到了一个关键阶段，需要在精确控制的生长室中进行实验。因此，成功地获得更新麦克马斯特生长设施第二阶段的RTI补助金，对于麦克马斯特大学植物生物学家的持续成功是绝对必要的。

The plant biologists in the Department of Biology at McMaster study how plants respond to various environmental factors with the long-term goal of improving crop production and native ecosystems. Drs Weretilnyk and Dudley are working to understand how plants in native environments and crop fields respond to abiotic stresses like drought and high soil salinity. Drs. Cameron, Finan and Elliot are interested in understanding plant-microbe interactions, both symbiotic (Finan, Elliot) and pathogenic (Cameron). Additionally Dr. Dudley is interested in plant-plant interactions in terms of plant competition and cooperation. To continue contributing to our respective fields, we require access to modern growth chambers that precisely control temperature, illumination and humidity. We are requesting funds for Phase II of the renewal of the McMaster Plant Growth Facility. In Phase I, Drs. Cameron and Weretilnyk were successful in obtaining funding (2011 NSERC RTI, 2011 CFI-LOF) to replace six aged Conviron growth chambers (2 EY15s, 4 E7H) and also expand the capacity of the facility to meet the needs of their ORF Eutrema Stress Genomics research (2010-2015). In Phase II, we wish to replace the remaining ancient 40 year-old Conviron chambers with modern precisely controlled multi-tier growth chambers with LED (light-emitting diode) illumination. This will not only expand the growth capacity of the McMaster Growth Facility, but also provide lighting that mimics both field and greenhouse conditions and therefore enhance the research programs of all the plant biologists in the Department of Biology. The current state of our plant facility means that Drs. Finan, Cameron and Weretilnyk must abandon experiments that are critically important for their research programs. Moreover, there is currently no growth chamber space available for Dr. Dudley or Elliot whose research has reached a critical stage where experiments in precisely controlled growth chambers is required. Therefore success in obtaining an RTI grant for Renewal of the McMaster Growth Facility, Phase II, is absolutely essential for the continued success of the plant biologists at McMaster University.