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Research CMB Specialization [ biological and environmental sciences m.s., ph.d. ]
Evolutionary and Environmental Genomics
Faculty: Gomez-Chiarri, Irvine, Jenkins, Lane, and Roberts.
Specialization Coordinator: Steven T. Gregory
Members of this CMB research focus area use genome and transcriptome sequence data to investigate the evolutionary origins of organisms and how organisms function in diverse environments. This research is enabled by recent advances in high throughput DNA sequencing technology, which have had an enormous impact on the scope of genome-scale research now being conducted. This is especially true for “non-model” organisms in eukaryotic groups where few genome sequences are available. Data generated with the support of sequencing and bioinformatics infrastructure that resides at URI in the Rhode Island Genomics and Sequencing Center and across the state are used in comparative contexts, across organisms and environments, to gain new understanding of biological processes and ecosystem function. Applications include identifying key microbial players in global nutrient cycling, tracing the evolutionary origins of traits or lifestyles, and investigating the genetics of disease resistance and the evolution of developmental processes in plants and animals.
Molecular and Developmental Genetics
Faculty: Bradley, Chandlee, Gomez-Chiarri, Irvine, Kausch, Roberts, and Sartini.
Specialization Coordinator: Steven T. Gregory
Members of this CMB research focus area investigate the structure and activity of genetic material at the molecular level to understand genome organization and the genetic control of growth and developmental processes in a variety of organisms. An array of modern technologies, including transgenics, expression analysis ( qPCR,RNA-Seq), and bioinformatic data mining of genome sequence databases, are applied to better understand physiological and developmental processes in animals and plants, and to modify these processes in ways that benefit humans and the environment. Problems currently being investigated include causes of mammalian infertility, osmotic stress tolerance in finfish aquaculture, genetic control of developmental patterning in animals and senescence in plants, containment of transgenes in genetically modified crops, characterization of sex determination pathways in plants, genetic mechanisms of pathogenesis and disease resistance in shellfish, delineating the biosynthetic basis of plant fiber properties, and genome evolution in moths and butterflies.
Pathogenesis and Vaccines
Faculty: Gomez-Chiarri, Lane, Mather, Nelson, M. Ramsey, K. Ramsey, and Rothman.
Specialization Coordinator: Steven T. Gregory
Microbial pathogens (viral, bacterial, fungal, etc.) infect and cause disease in all organisms, affecting both our health and economic well-being. Understanding pathogenesis involves the study of the molecular and cellular events in both the host and the pathogen that occur during the development of disease. This knowledge is critical to understanding how to treat and prevent disease. Perhaps the best way to prevent disease is the development of vaccines. In cases where protection from disease by vaccines may not be possible because the organism to be protected lacks an adaptive immune response, alternative protection strategies involving probiotics or antibiotics may be developed. As with vaccines, the key to developing these strategies requires understanding both the pathogen and the host. Faculty members associated with this CMB research focus area have internationally recognized research programs investigating microbial pathogenesis, probiotics, and vaccines for humans and animals of agricultural and aquacultural importance.
Protein Structure, Function and Regulation
Faculty: Camberg, Howlett, Martin, Roberts, and Sun.
Specialization Coordinator: Steven T. Gregory
Proteins are essential for executing and controlling all cellular processes. Many human disease states, including cancer, blood disorders such as sickle cell anemia and hemophilia, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, are associated with defective protein structure and/or function. A greater comprehension of protein structure, function, and regulation is thus central to understanding normal and pathological cellular processes, and improving diagnostic and therapeutic approaches towards a wide array of human and animal diseases. Members of this CMB research focus area use biochemical, biophysical, and computational approaches to study protein function and regulation in diverse cellular processes including cell cycle progression, DNA repair, plant cell wall biosynthesis, and signal transduction.
