U-Idaho receives $5.1 million grant from National Institutes of Health
Friday, April 19 2013
MOSCOW,
Idaho – The National Institutes of Health has awarded the University of Idaho a
five-year grant for $5.1 million in continued support of the Institute for
Bioinformatics and Evolutionary Studies (IBEST).
The
grant will fund a number of projects within IBEST, which encompasses multiple
research and education programs, along with students, faculty, staff and
facilities, related to real-time evolution at U-Idaho.
The
award is the third phase of U-Idaho’s Institutional Development Award (IDeA)
Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE). The IDeA program builds
research capacities in states that historically have had low levels of NIH
funding.
This
final COBRE phase will primarily be used to support and enhance IBEST’s
Computational Resources and Genomics Resources core facilities as they
transition over the coming five years to become self-sustaining. The funding
will be used to support IBEST-related seminars, continue grants for researchers
to explore the use of new advanced technologies, and conduct pilot research
projects through awards up to $75,000 a year for U-Idaho researchers.
The
grant also will fund initiatives to create collaborations with scientists from
across the country and globe.
“This
will enable us to network with scientists from other institutions and
strengthen our research programs.” said Larry Forney, IBEST director and University
Distinguished Professor of biological sciences at U-Idaho. “You collaborate
with the best people you can, wherever you are.”
U-Idaho
received the first phase of its COBRE award from 2001 to 2006, followed by
phase two from 2008 until January 31, 2013. The award has helped junior and
mid-career faculty who work under the auspices of IBEST to launch their research
programs and expand their laboratories, and by doing so increase their competitiveness
to apply for independent grant funding. It also has built the IBEST
Computational Resources Core, a facility that provides computing services, data
storage and consultation related to biomedical research, and the Genomics
Resources Core, which provides investigators access to state of the art
technologies for genome sequencing and genetic analyses.
“The
goal of this final phase of funding is to allow the University of Idaho to
sustain – and build on – the infrastructure, personnel and research developed
during earlier phases of support to this center, which is further enhanced by
its strong partnership with the Idaho IDeA Network of Biomedical Research
Excellence,” said W. Fred Taylor, an IDeA program official at the NIH’s
National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
“Funding
from the first two phases of the COBRE grant has allowed IBEST to create
world-class core facilities,” Forney said. “The phase three award shows the
people within the IDeA program are duly impressed with what we’ve been able to
accomplish, and they strongly support our work in this area.”
Jack
McIver, U-Idaho’s vice president for research and economic development, congratulated
IBEST for securing the COBRE grant.
“This
award speaks to the quality of research occurring within IBEST,” McIver said.
“Our dedication to the study of evolution and bioinformatics has attracted first-rate
faculty and students to the University of Idaho, and we are committed to
supporting their continued success.”
Media contact: Tara Roberts, University Communications - Research, (208) 885-7725, troberts@uidaho.edu
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.