Charles Du, Biology and Molecular Biology, CSAM, $200,000 award from NSF

Dr. Charles Du along with Dr. Hugo Dooner (PI, Rutgers University) and Dr. Randall Kerstetter (Co-PI, Rutgers University) received a three year research grant from the National Science Foundation.  The grant, entitled “Facile Production and Efficient Indexing of Transposon-tagged Lines Using Next-generation Sequencing Technology for Maize,” will provide the researchers with an opportunity to use next generation sequencing technology to analyze the maize genome.  Through the grant, MSU will receive over $200,000 to support a bioinformatics server and undergraduate research.  The grant will run from September 2009 to August 2012.

As Co-PI, Dr. Du will carry out bioinformatics analysis for sequence assembly, annotation, and mapping of millions of short reads to the maize reference genome; develop a web-searchable database of insertion site sequences cross-referenced to lines hosted at MSU.  Students at both Rutgers and MSU will participate in the project as summer interns in the molecular biology lab and maize genetics nursery.