NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Australia

Heider Thomas N, Storrs CT

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds Thomas Heider of the University of Connecticut to conduct a research project in Biological Sciences during the summer of 2013 at the University of Melbourne in Melbourne Australia. The project title is "Wallabase: Jump starting the tammar wallaby genome database." The host scientist is Professor Marilyn Renfree. A key challenge in genomics is distinguishing the regions of DNA that are essential for development and disease from those that are nonfunctional. The genomics community is rapidly coming to appreciate the power of marsupial comparative genetics for this task. Aided by extensive developmental and physiological data, the tammar wallaby has proven instrumental for the study of developmental processes that are conserved among mammals. To make this information more accessible to researchers, this project creates the genome database, Wallabase. Wallabase lowers the barriers that prevent the broader scientific community from utilizing marsupials in deciphering the human genome. In particular, researchers trying to identify novel antimicrobials, those in the dairy industry and clinicians utilizing the unique development of the wallaby will greatly benefit from the accessibility of the information on Wallabase. Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, there will be additional sections on Wallabase that will educate the general public about the use of wallabies in research and about the importance of comparative studies.