Institute for Integrative Genome Biology
Institute Brings Together Scientists from Diverse Fields of Study
Research into genomes, the hereditary information encoded into DNA, has exploded over the last decade as scientists seek to unlock the genetic codes that determine the physical and behavioral characteristics of people and other organisms.
Much work remains before we can understand completely how these different molecules work together to create a larger organism.
The Institute for Integrative Genome Biology brings together scientists from different disciplines to get a better handle on gene-related questions. It also advocates for a broader education for future scientists, who will need to complement their knowledge of biology with expertise in chemistry, math and computer science in order to advance the existing research.
Three Centers Make for a Stronger Institute
The Institute for Integrative Genome Biology features cooperation among three separate, but close-knit research centers. Each center’s emphasis on its core mission increases the institute’s ability to create new levels of understanding to benefit agriculture, the environment and human health.
The individual centers that operate under the institute’s umbrella include:
- Biotechnology Impacts Center
As biotechnology’s influence spreads, its impact also raises questions that must be addressed if the discipline is to move forward. For example, are genetically engineered crops safe for consumption or are they “Frankenfood” to be avoided at all costs? The Impacts Center seeks to be a clearinghouse for accurate information on such emerging topics. - Center for Plant Cell Biology
The nation’s first center devoted exclusively to plant cell biology seeks to answer important questions in the field by assembling teams of scientists with varying specialties but with overriding commitments to work together toward a common goal. - Center for Disease-Vector Research
The rise of international travel, migration and global trade make our world an increasingly smaller place, with cross-cultural connections being made on a daily basis. But these changes also create opportunities for native pathogens to be inadvertently transported across large distances. The Center for Disease Vector Research aims to be a world leader in solving the problem of vector-transmitted pathogens.
