MRI: Acquisition of DNA analysis equipment for research and training in molecular ecology and evolution

Washington State University, Pullman WA

Investigators

Abstract

A grant has been awarded to Washington State University under the direction of Dr. Michael Webster for the purchase of genetic research instrumentation. The instrumentation obtained - an automated DNA sequencer, a gel imager, and an analytical computer cluster - will be available to the entire research community at Washington State University, but will be used primarily for research in ecological and evolutionary genetics. The incorporation of molecular genetic technologies into ecological and evolutionary studies has allowed for sensitive and powerful tests of ideas in these areas, and also has spurred new fields of research. Washington State University (WSU) has invested heavily in growth in these areas, and is emerging as a leader in these fields. The goal of acquiring these new instruments is to allow WSU researchers to conduct sophisticated, state-of-the-art research incorporating large amounts of genetic information (e.g., information from multiple genes) from large numbers of individuals, and also to utilize powerful statistical approaches for analysis of these data. This award will support new and on-going ecological and evolutionary research projects, as well as educational efforts, at Washington State University. These projects use molecular techniques to address questions in three general areas: (1) evolutionary systematics, (2) population genetics and evolutionary ecology, and (3) evolutionary development and genomics. Specific projects within these areas are numerous, and include investigations of the evolutionary relationships among extant groups of organisms, host/pathogen coevolution, the long-term consequences of introduced populations and habitat fragmentation, evolution of the developmental system of fish and insects, the dynamics of genome evolution in plants and genetic mapping of ecologically useful traits in economically important organisms. In addition, the application and analysis of genetic data made possible by the requested instrumentation will substantially enhance the experiences of undergraduate research collaborators as well as graduate student training. The acquired instrumentation also will have several broader impacts. First, these instruments will serve as a nucleus to foster collaboration among a group of researchers distributed across two colleges at WSU, and thus will serve as a catalyst for formation of an inter-departmental working group that will conduct research, jointly train graduate students, and hold an annual research symposium. Second, data generated from the acquired instruments also will enhance on-going public education efforts. Finally, this instrumentation will increase the participation of under-represented groups by increasing research opportunities for students from such groups. Participation by such individuals will be actively encouraged through continued recruitment of female graduate students, targeted recruitment of graduate students from traditionally African American and Native American colleges, and inclusion of students/faculty from regional Native American schools in the annual research symposium.