Welcome
to the inauguration of the new Interdisciplinary Ph.D.
Program in Functional Genomics. The program, housed
at The University of Maine and run in collaboration with
The Jackson Laboratory and the Maine Medical Center Research
Institute is founded on a new paradigm in graduate education
and in biomedical/biological research.
The major challenge in biomedical research for now and
the foreseeable future is to understand how the information
encoded by the genome determines an organism's functions.
To move from the level of the DNA sequence to an understanding
of the morphogenetic and physiological pathways crucial
for normal development requires new approaches to acquiring
data at the level of the transcriptome (mRNA expression),
proteome (protein expression), metabolome (physiological
genomics), and phenome (ultimate phenotype). The increased
capacity to generate data and the need for researchers
to integrate and analyze large volumes of heterogeneous
information also increases the computational demands.
Within this framework, a new technical and organizational
infrastructure will be needed to realize the promise held
within the genome. Foremost among the requirements will
be highly interactive, interdisciplinary research environments
that allow biologists, computer and information scientists,
mathematicians, engineers, biophysicists, and chemists
to work together on common research questions.
The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Functional Genomics has
been established to train students to move freely among
the disciplines needed to investigate genome function.
It draws on faculty from existing centers of excellence
in genetics and genomics, in computational sciences, in
biophysics/bioengineering. Through its twinned mentor concept,
the program also integrates the research of faculty in
a dynamic way, bringing together internationally recognized
scientists working in genomics research, surface chemistry,
physics and engineering, and informatics.
We are excited about this new program for what in means
for science and graduate education in Maine and beyond.
It is supported by a training grant from the National Science
Foundation through their IGERT program. This allows us
to offer stipends that are nationally competitive.
We are seeking highly motivated students and faculty interested
in taking the next step into the future of biomedical and
biological research. We hope you will be interested in
joining us.
Barbara B. Knowles, Ph.D.
Director
|
|
Keith W. Hutchison, Ph.D.
Administrative Director
|
Home | Director's
Welcome | News & Events | Program
Overview | Application & Admissions
Fast Track Admission | Faculty | Student
Profiles | Contact Us
A member
of the University of Maine System
Functional
Genomics Ph.D. Program
267A ESRB, Barrows Hall
Orono, ME 04469-5708
Tel: 800-828-2699
Fax: 207-581-2255
|
