Promoting undergraduate research through the Genomics Education Partnership

Abstract

Rapid increases in DNA sequence information now permit comparative examination of genes and genome organization. The goal of the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP) is to provide undergraduate students with an opportunity to participate in a large‐scale genome sequencing and annotation project to achieve the integrated goals of enhancing student learning in bioinformatics and related fields while making a contribution to new knowledge. The current focus of the GEP is on the dot chromosomes of several Drosophila species. This unique domain warrants further study because it has properties of both euchromatin, including normal gene density, and heterochromatin, including a high density of repetitive elements. Students take ownership of stretches of sequence and work to improve the posted sequence data and generate carefully annotated gene models; their work is supported by the central resources of the GEP. The assembled data permits analysis of the chromosome organization among different Drosophila species, resulting in publication and the development of new research questions. Surveys have indicated student learning gains in knowledge of genes and genomes and also demonstrate that GEP student personal gains are similar to those of students involved in a full‐time summer research experience. This project is funded by HHMI and NIH.