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, the University 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 Montclair State.  Students at both Rutgers and Montclair State University will participate in the project as summer interns in the molecular biology lab and maize genetics nursery.