This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
The expansion of the department of Biology at Francis Marion University has led to a need for the acquisition of additional equipment to broaden research capabilities. The NSF MRI grant allows for the acquisition of an ultracentrifuge, water purification system, CO2 incubators, and an ultralow freezer. The Biology Department serves a diverse student body (43% underrepresented minority, 65% women) and the addition of highly technical equipment will increase educational opportunities through teaching laboratories and independent research projects. Faculty members involved in molecular and cellular biology research will have the capability of increasing the scope of research and the types of projects available to students. Current projects include studies of monoamine oxidase isoform kinetics, protein kinase C effects on transcription, activation of the p53 promoter by C/EBP, and others. The new instrumentation allows for the expansion of research that broadens the understanding of nerve cell function, the role of proteins involved in cell proliferation, and transcriptional regulation. Project outcomes will be available through FMU Department of Biology website, in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and in student-presentations at regional meetings.
