NSF Award
2117500
An award is made to South Dakota State University (SDSU) Functional Genomics Core Facility (FGCF) to acquire and implement an Octet RED96 BioLayer Interferometry Instrument (BII). This BII will enable researchers and students from throughout the state of South Dakota (SD) to study biomolecular interaction rates (i.e. kinetics), including DNA-protein, protein-protein, and protein-small molecule interactions across a variety of biological system involving existing and future research projects. The kinetics of these molecular interactions are the basis for all biological processes, and so quantifying these interactions is critical for the growth of bioscience research in SD. Understanding the associated technologies will promote professional development of existing and future scientists within most biological disciplines. The mission of the FGCF is to facilitate interdisciplinary gene function research and training in viral, bacterial, plant and animal systems by providing researchers and educators with access to and train for cutting-edge molecular technologies. The capabilities provided by a BII system is not currently available in the FGCF but are needed by the users of this facility. As a component of the FGCF, the Octet BII will immediately enhance the collective research efforts from at least three SD universities involving 15 investigators, 34 graduate students, 28 undergraduate students, and 6 postdoctoral associates and visiting scientists. These research efforts are primarily focused on improving human and animal health and minimizing the environmental impact of crop production. Teachers from the SD institutions have also committed to incorporating BII technologies into several graduate and undergraduate courses. The FGCF will be responsible for also promoting the utilization of these technologies into various SD research programs within all colleges, universities and emerging companies within the region. This instrument will also allow BII technologies to be incorporated into ongoing outreach programs, such as high-school teacher workshops, training programs for Native American students through the SDSU Wokini Initiative and summer undergraduate research experiences through REU programs.<br/><br/>There are a wide variety of projects ready to use this instrument with studies ranging from nitrogen fixation in cyanobacteria, to the symbiotic microbe relationships in agricultural plants, to the optimizing functional components within mammalian immune systems, and various virus-receptor specific interactions. This instrument will enhance strengths among emerging research entities (e.g. the Biochemical Spatiotemporal NeTwork Resource (BioSNTR) and 2D material Biofilm Engineering Science and Technology (2DBEST) research centers established to investigate the sophisticated molecular circuits involved in cell signaling using advanced imaging and molecular biology technologies) by adding a workflow to quantitative measure and kinetically characterize biomolecular interactions in various living systems. The BioSNTR was the focus of a previous a NSF EPSCOR RII program entitled “The 2020 Vision: Building Research, Education, and Innovation Partnerships for South Dakota", but it's activities are ongoing through new projects that will be facilitated by this instrumentation.<br/><br/>This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
