Boost for protein, gene studies

The Center for Genomics and Proteomics, founded last year with a $200 million investment from the university, awarded $300,000 in seed money this winter to seven groups of scientists on Science Hill and at the medical school.

“We were looking for projects which have prospects of developing into large programs,” said Sherman M. Weissman, M.D., Sterling Professor of Genetics and professor of medicine, co-director of the center. Michael Snyder, Ph.D., the chair and Lewis B. Cullman Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, is the director of the center. The funded projects will include research in lipids, Arabidopsis proteome chips, genomic microarrays in C. elegans and Drosophila, a cryopreservation facility and profiling of the rice genome.

“The pilot grants are a great way to stimulate integrative and cutting-edge research projects for the center,” said Snyder.