The Center for Study of Gene Structure and Function at Hunter College continues to evolve into a first-rate research consortium in one of the largest public universities in the nation. Our progress has been fueled by the investment of funds from the Research Centers in Minority Institutions (RCMI) Program matched by the considerable commitment of institutional resources, but additional funds are needed to accomplish our goals. The overall objectives of the RCMI grant are: to strengthen the research infrastructure of the Center; to recruit outstanding scientists with an emphasis on minorities who are powerful role models for future scientists at Hunter and the nation; to improve the research environment by supporting the research output of graduate students, and Postdoctorals and; to host exceptional research symposia and colloquia. Two significant accomplishments have been to increase our research output and to diversify the demographics of our researchers. During our last grant cycle, we successfully recruited three well-qualified minority scientists (Drs. Brazill, Ortiz and Quinones) and secured funds from New York State and the NIH-RCMI to renovate their laboratories. Our most recent recruits include Evolutionary Biologist Dr. Weigang Qiu, an expert in Bioinformatics, and Biochemist Dr. Akira Kawamura who uses functional genomics, microarray technology and RT PCR to evaluate how natural products modulate gene expression and how these assays can guide purification of their active ingredients. These hires indicate our continued efforts to strengthen our research focus in two cutting edge areas, bioinformatics and functional genomics, that are essential for research in gene structure and function. Dr. Qiu and Dr. Robert Dottin are involved in teaching bioinformatics to graduate students at Hunter College, thereby preparing the next generation for the new genetics. Dr. Maria Pieriera is also using microarray technology to investigate the mechanism of action of neurotoxic agents such as proteosome inhibitors, prostaglandin products of inflammation and oxidative stressors. In Bioinformatics Dr. Lou Massa proposes to use quantum crystallography for predicting protein structure. He will develop an important database of quantum pieces (kernels) that would collectively describe the electronic and geometrical structure of proteins from their amino acid sequences. Drs. Lipke, Epstein and Qiu will develop computational methods/tools to detect and analyze low complexity yeast cell wall protein motifs. All of these projects are novel and essential approaches to understanding gene structure and function, the focus of this RCMI -funded center. In order to obtain stable long-term funding for these research activities faculty members in the Gene Center expect that the interim funding for pilot projects will result in significant results that they will use in two years to obtain independent external funding. ? ?
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