Functional Genomics

Overview

The ASM/JGI Functional Genomics Institute aims to meet the need for more undergraduate faculty in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines to involve their students in hands-on experiences in molecular genetics and to relate that work to ongoing functional genomics research. The Institute features the functional analysis of microbial genomes through forward genetics, reverse genetics and protein expression approaches, connecting functional information to genome annotations, and providing a framework for developing classroom activities and research projects for undergraduate students.

At the completion of the Institute, participants will take home a working knowledge of several experimental strategies and a strengthened ability to connect scientific questions to learning goals and pertinent functional genomics projects. As participants begin to use the skills and ideas they gain at the Institute back at their home institutions, several measurable outcomes should be generated or enhanced. In terms of students, more of them will:

• Understand the role of scientific research and the process through which it occurs

• Use one or more functional genomics approaches to connect genes to cellular functions

• Seek out independent research opportunities

Faculty should see increased student engagement in course material and find it easier to incorporate (i) discussions of research into courses and (ii) their own research ideas into courses. All of this increased engagement by students and faculty will allow them to see that educational goals can be met while still generating meaningful scientific results, such as testing bioinformatics-driven predictions of gene functions, discovering new cellular functions and the corresponding genes, discriminating the functional importance of multiple potentially redundant genes, and adding a much deeper understanding to the annotation of microbial genomes.