Undergraduate Research in Microbial Functional Genomics

Genomics not only can answer questions about known genes, but the determination of the entire DNA sequence of an organism also exposes hundreds to thousands of “new” genes and just as many new questions for future research. There is no doubt that genomics has changed biology forever, and it has also changed biology education as undergraduate students across the U.S. get exposed to new concepts, tools, and research strategies. As students participate in cutting-edge research, such as the “Adopt a Genome,” bioinformatics efforts within the JGI’s GEBA project, they are contributing to new knowledge while they learn.

However, annotating the complete genome sequence of any organism is really just a new beginning – annotations are hypotheses that need to be tested experimentally. Functional genomics is an application of techniques in molecular biology and microbiology applied to as many genes as possible. The JGI is committed to bringing functional genomics research into the undergraduate experience. Currently, the JGI is building a pilot program involving Hiram College, a small liberal arts college in Ohio, and St. Cloud State University, a midsize public university in Minnesota, to include reverse genetics, forward genetics, protein overexpression, protein crystallization, and X-ray crystallography in undergraduate lab experiences with the goal of contributing new knowledge on protein structure and function through the process of undergraduate education.