School to use matching funds to buy equipment

The Arkansas State University Biosciences Institute (ABI) and the Department of Biology have successfully competed for a Beckman Coulter Genomics Educational/Research Grant.

The grant provides $49,500 in matching funds to purchase sophisticated genomics instrumentation for teaching and research programs at ASU.

"The CEQ 8000 Genetic Analysis System is state-of-the-art. It will give students hands-on experience in genomics and the latest DNA technologies used in forensics and medical testing," said Dr. Carole Cramer, executive director of the ASU Biosciences Institute who led the group of ASU faculty applying for the grant.

The equipment will also support research being done at the biosciences building, which opened in September of 2004. ASU's Biosciences Institute is part of the statewide Arkansas Biosciences Institute established by the Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act of 2000. ABI is an agricultural and medical research consortium dedicated to improving the health of Arkansans.

Researchers within ASU's Biosciences Institute will use this instrumentation to help produce health-promoting chemicals and proteins in plants and to understand the basis for tobacco-related diseases. ASU's Biosciences Institute provided the matching funds that enabled ASU to compete for the grant. According to Cramer, this grant "exemplifies how we are using the ABI to leverage opportunities to enhance the educational and research opportunities here at ASU."

Genes and DNA are becoming an increasing part of everyday life.

"The Beckman-Coulter system really provides a window into DNA-based technologies that is user-friendly and accessible to students. It is very exciting technology that will impact both our teaching and research programs," said Dr. Maureen Dolan, the primary author of the grant to Beckman Coulter.

Dr. Jeannette Loutsch and Dr. Ron Johnson of ASU's Biology Department were also involved with the grant and will be instrumental in integrating the technology into biology courses at Arkansas State.

The CEQ 8000 system will also be a valuable asset to two new programs under development at ASU, an undergraduate major in forensics and a graduate program in molecular biosciences.