The support will allow NCGR to develop its Gene Expression, Integrated System and Pathways programs. The awards represent a total of $839,000 over two years. All three projects are currently under way.

The National Science Foundation has awarded a two-year, $500,000 grant to NCGR to develop a proof of concept for its GeneX(tm) Information System. Understanding gene expression -- the level at which genes are turned on or off at a given state of the cell -- is one of the next biggest challenges in genomics. NSF support for GeneX will support the pursuit of better understanding of gene expression.

GeneX is part of NCGR's research program in gene expression, which aims to enable the greatest use of gene expression data by creating an Internet-accessible database and software tools that are independent of gene expression technology platforms and can be deployed in the lab, across departments, or globally.

"We are encouraged by the National Science Foundation's generous support for this project, which will allow us to not only evaluate the potential for a technically robust system, but also to evaluate the potential for public funding to utilize the Open Source management and licensing model," said William Beavis, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer and principal investigator for the gene expression grant. "As an independent, nonprofit research institute, NCGR has a very strong interest in developing tools for analyzing gene expression that will best serve the biological research community."

NCGR will collaborate with scientists at the University of California, Irvine, which will be a subcontractor. The Gene Expression program was launched in 1999 with support from the Rose-Legett Foundation. The NSF grant was effective April 1.

NCGR has received funding from four member institutes of the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research to lead a bioinformatics project to build a prototypic system that integrates crop breeding and crop performance information with molecular information available at public websites.

To capitalize on the broad relevance of molecular information to international crop improvement, NCGR will work with the CGIAR research centers to develop software tools that will allow scientists to compare genomic maps of different species and integrate that information with information about pedigrees, molecular markers and germplasm performance.

NCGR will utilize its Integrated System (ISYS(tm)) to provide the flexibility that such a system will need to keep pace with emerging biotechnologies and information technologies.

The research centers are internationally renowned for their work in developing countries to increase yield and promote sustainable farming of crops including rice, wheat, corn, beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes and cassava.

Scientists at the centers collect germplasm, or seed, and evaluate important nutritional and agronomic traits as well as data from genetic markers for use in plant breeding to ultimately improve human health.

"The goals of the CGIAR centers fit very well with NCGR's goals," project leader Damian Gessler, Ph.D., said. "We are pleased to be developing analytical tools and software to facilitate their research."

NCGR has been awarded $148,000 to conduct the one-year project, which began in February.

The CGIAR research centers involved in the project are the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Colombia, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico and the International Potato Center (CIP) in Peru.

NCGR is working with New Mexico State University (NMSU) to enhance the PathDB(tm) database and analytical tools. NCGR has been awarded $191,000 to perform an eight-month project that is part of NMSU's contract with the U.S. Army to operate the National Biotechnology Information Facility (NBIF) in Las Cruces.

PathDB is part of NCGR's research and development program in biochemical pathways. PathDB is a general metabolic pathways database intended to represent current knowledge of metabolism. NCGR and NMSU have previously collaborated on a plant secondary metabolism project.

"I am excited to have NCGR continuing on the NBIF team," said NBIF principal investigator Steve Hottman. "NCGR represents an important biotechnology component not only in the state of New Mexico but also nationally. I look forward to integrating NCGR's bioinformatics expertise with NBIF."

NCGR's work will include creating a PathDB mirror website at NBIF and adapting the relational database management system to use Oracle software. The mirror site will support NBIF's mission of providing single-point access to a vast store of widely distributed biotechnology information, developing educational and bioinformatics services and providing training in biotechnology.

NCGR will also establish PathDB user services such as an e-mail announcement system. The project began in February.

NBIF and its activities are sponsored by the U.S. Army Research Office under grant number DAAH04-96-1-0415.

"These grant awards are indicative of the progress NCGR is making," President and CEO Stephen C. Joseph, M.D., said. "We are proud to be selected as a partner with NSF, CGIAR and NMSU and are eager to advance their thinking and ours in relation to gene expression, data integration and biochemical pathways."

NCGRis an independent, nonprofit life sciences research institute working at the interface of biology, computer science and mathematics (bioinformatics). By conducting and facilitating research, the Center contributes to the improvement of global nutrition, health and environmental well-being. - By Janine Sieja

[Contact: Janine Sieja]

14-Jun-2001