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The Molecular Sciences Institute: Center for Quantitative Genome Function

Program Description

The Molecular Sciences Institute is committed to identifying, training and mentoring future genomic scientists. We offer:

1. Research Fellowships: Candidates for these fellowships possess recent Ph.D. degrees or are more senior investigators who are interested in a chance to re-orient their research toward genomics. Once selected, fellows participate in an extensive training program. See also: MSI Post-Ph.D. Fellowship in Genomics & Computational Biology. For information contact lreiser@molsci.org.
   
   
2. Summer Internships for High School Juniors and Seniors: MSI offers eight-week summer internships to high school juniors and seniors to participate in genomic research. This program consists of an experimental and computational research experience at MSI, enrichment activities throughout the Bay Area, opportunities for tutoring and SAT preparation courses, and continued mentoring by MSI staff as the student progresses through college. For information, look here: Genomic Biology Internship Program for High School Students or contact internships@molsci.org
   
   
   
3. Research Experiences for Undergraduates: The Molecular Sciences Institute and the Center for Quantitative Genome Function (CQGF) offers registered students from local area Community Colleges and UC Berkeley the opportunity to conduct research in genomics and computational biology. Students work between 10 and 15 hours during the academic year and full time (40 hours per week) in the summer months. Students are partnered with a Center research scientist / mentor and will conduct experiments under the scientist's direction. For more information, read the full program description here: MSI Research Experience in Genomics and Computational Biology for Undergraduate Minority Scholars.
   
   

Research Opportunities and Resources

Researchers at the Center for Quantitative Genome Function are pursuing an ambitious research program to develop general approaches, tools, conceptual frameworks, and mathematical models that will permit us to quantitatively understand biological responses. At the CQGF we focus on a highly conserved signaling pathway that operates when individual cells of bakers' yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) are responding to a small peptide signal (a mating pheromone) produced by yeast cells of the opposite "sex" (mating type). This signaling pathway, also called the yeast pheromone response, is a well-studied system that shares protein components, mechanisms, and behaviors with many of the signaling systems used in cells of higher organisms. Our goal is to use the yeast system to identify and characterize general quantitative behaviors and regulators that are salient to the response of all signaling systems including those of humans.

• Outreach: Molecular Sciences Institute Center Programs

Principal Investigators (PI):

• Roger Brent, Ph.D. [ucsf.edu]
  Grant#: 3 P50 HG02370-01A1S1

Success stories

• Molecular Sciences Institute Summer 2003 Interns Page
• Molecular Sciences Institute Summer 2004 Interns Page
• Molecular Sciences Institute Summer 2005 Interns Page
• Molecular Sciences Institute Summer 2006 Interns Page
• Molecular Sciences Institute Summer 2007 Interns Page

Recommended Links

• University of California, Berkeley, Biology Scholars Program [bsp.berkeley.edu]
• Yeast Virtual Library [yeastgenome.org]

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Last Reviewed: August 22, 2008