With the rapid accumulations of molecular sequence data, there is an increasing demand for rigorous methods for assessing statistical significance of various sequence features. The proposed research focuses on two sets of urn model problems which are primarily directed to characterizing the spacings of long repeats in DNA sequences and discerning nonrandom charge clusters in protein models. The principal investigator will use this award to continue her contacts with a group of mathematicians at the University of Southern California. This contact will allow the investigator to improve both her mathematical and biological knowledge.
