This grant supports the acquisition of equipment to upgrade a cross-disciplinary research program in Molecular Systematic and Evolution (the MSE group) at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. These acquisitions will enhance existing research efforts in molecular systematics and population studies at the Academy, facilitate development of the research programs of the group's six molecular systematists and under pin the MSE group 's efforts in systematics-related training, which is itself focused on a student pool drawn from local universities. The MSE's newer members increase the diversity of the taxonomic expertise at the Academy; their laboratories will emphasize the programmatic rather than taxonomic orientation of the MSE group. The same basic research methods are used by all members of the group, and the equipment will maximize research productivity of the shared laboratories. Scientists and students from the Academy and neighboring universities participating in on-going joint programs with the Academy will further contribute to this maximization of the use of the facilities. The centerpiece of the acquisitions in an automated DNA sequencer with its auxiliary support tools: remote alarm system for an ultra-cold freezer, automated thermocyclers and imaging equipment. In order to provide a central site for storage and manipulation of DNA sequence data, funding will also establish a computer network for the MSE group; this network will be integrated within the Academy' s existing network of servers and provide seamless access among MSE members and to Interact services. The enhanced MSE facilities will significantly improve current educational opportunities for students from area universities, and in particular those from Drexel University, which trains significant populations of minority and urban students. The Academy is currently developing a formal program with Drexel for biodiversity studies and will soon be implementing and NSF- funded REU Site award that will see further training of students. The Academy offers Jessup and McHenry Fellowships for graduate study that currently and in the near future will see recipients using the MSE facilities. Also MSE members are already supervising graduate students in systematics. The MSE group, then, is and will be actively involved in a diversity of training programs using undergraduate and graduate students recruited for research programs and area faculty, all of whom will be provided with hands-on research in collections- oriented molecular systematics. The MSE group will act as a team to train students and other users of the facility in the theory and practice of modern molecular systematics.
