Award Abstract #0820756
MRI: Acquisition of a Quantitative Real-Time PCR System for Biological Science Research

NSF Org:	DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure
Initial Amendment Date:	September 4, 2008
Latest Amendment Date:	September 4, 2008
Award Number:	0820756
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Steven E. Ellis DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date:	September 1, 2008
Expires:	August 31, 2011 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$51716
Investigator(s):	Benjamin DeRidder deridder@grinnell.edu (Principal Investigator) Vincent Eckhart (Co-Principal Investigator) Leslie Gregg-Jolly (Co-Principal Investigator) Vida Praitis (Co-Principal Investigator) Shannon Hinsa Leasure (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	Grinnell College 1121 Park Street Grinnell, IA 50112 641/269-4939
NSF Program(s):	MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION
Field Application(s):
Program Reference Code(s):	BIOT, 9184
Program Element Code(s):	1189

ABSTRACT

Grinnell College has received an award from the National Science Foundation to purchase a state-of-the-art quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) system for collaborative student/faculty research. This quantitative molecular tool will support research across subdisciplines within the biology department at Grinnell, and will be used to address a variety of research questions in the areas of plant molecular ecology and physiology, microbiology, microbial ecology, genetics, and cell and developmental biology. Specifically, the requested system will be used for investigations of: 1) plant responses to environmental stress; 2) bacterial diversity in the phyllosphere; 3) molecular ecology of flower color; 4) bacterial response to DNA damage; and 5) epithelial tissue development in nematode morphogenesis. The proposed activities will contribute in diverse and important ways to their understanding of the molecular basis for biological diversity and function in various organisms. The requested instrumentation will significantly enhance the College?s infrastructure, by providing new technology for quantitative genetic analysis.

As with other instrumentation at Grinnell College, this new equipment will be integrated into the curriculum at all levels, enriching the research training and learning of a broad cross-section of students. The acquisition of a qPCR instrument will strengthen their undergraduate biology and biological chemistry programs, which continually strive to reflect current advances in research technology.

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