Grants provide genetic research equipment at MSU

Michelle Bowe, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, and Colette Witkowski, Ph.D., associate professor of biomedical sciences, have received $51,430 through Beckman Coulter Genomics, Educational Matching Funds for GenomeLab CEQ Equipment. The funding is provided by Beckman Coulter Inc.

The money will be used to purchase a Beckman Coulter genetic analyzer that will benefit a number of courses and research projects in the departments of biology and biomedical sciences.

“Because of the new equipment, students in BIO 540 ‘Applications of Molecular Markers’ and BMS 525 ‘Molecular Biology’ will be able to do lab exercises involving DNA sequencing, DNA fingerprinting, genotyping and other molecular methods using some of the most advanced equipment available,” Bowe said. “Researchers in each department will also be able to use the genetic analyzer. Having this equipment will allow us to make advancements in each of our research areas.”

The analyzer will be used for two main projects in Bowe’s lab at MSU.

First, the equipment will be used by Bowe and students Shane Snider and Megan Ladd to examine genetic markers for three species of elm. The study will provide information on how prevalent Siberian elm invasion is and how common hybrids may be. Second, the analyzer will be used as part of Jerry Weimer’s master’s project, which examines genetic markers in post oaks in a savanna habitat. The study will provide information of how many oaks in the field site are genetically distinct versus how many are genetically identical.

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