Genomics research grants awarded to LAS projects
Two innovative research projects by faculty in the College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences have been awarded grants by Iowa State University's Center for
Integrated Animal Genomics (CIAG). The grants were awarded to ISU faculty through
a competitive program that provides seed money for animal, microbial and comparative
genomics research.
"The projects funded by these grants further CIAG's goals to promote collaboration
and enhance research competitiveness in genomics areas," said Max Rothschild,
Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor of Agriculture and professor in the
Department of Animal Science. Rothschild is co-director of CIAG along with Susan
Carpenter, professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventative
Medicine.
Researchers in three departments will work together on one of the CIAG-funded
research projects. Drena Dobbs, associate professor in the Department of Genetics,
Development and Cell Biology, Vasant Honavar, professor in the Department of
Computer Science, and Robert Jernigan, professor in the Department of Biochemistry,
Biophysics and Molecular Biology, will develop and provide Web-based access
to MacroBindR. MacroBindR includes databases of protein binding sites and computational
tools for analysis, prediction and visualization of protein binding sites. Both
Dobbs and Honavar are faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Dennis Lavrov, assistant professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and
Organismal Biology, will conduct a genomic search for the elements of cell-to-cell
interaction in a particular type of sponge. This information will be the basis
for further studies on understanding signaling pathways in sponges and the evolution
of these pathways in other animals.
The Center for Integrated Animal Genomics is one of Iowa State's presidential
initiatives. It is made up of an interdisciplinary group of 70 ISU faculty from
five colleges who use animal genomics, microbial genomics, comparative genomics
and bioinformatics to identify, map and understand the function and control
of genes. CIAG's goal is the improvement of animal and human health.
