Funding

Present

  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research Microbiome Initiative for the project on "Modeling and mapping microbial diversity and function with marker genes, genomes and metagenomes" (PIs: Drs. Ford Doolittle, Robert Beiko, Joe Bielawski and Marc Ereshefsky; Co-Applicant: Olga Zhaxybayeva).


[CIHR Press Release]
The human microbiome project aims to (1) characterize the diversity of types of bacteria in and on our bodies and (2) assess their various roles in health and disease, so that we might (3) learn better how to encourage the good bugs and discourage the bad. Achieving these interrelated goals requires better methods for identifying microbial types and predicting their activities. These must be based on sounder knowledge of underlying ecological and genetic mechanisms and processes. In the theoretical component of our project we will, through modelling and mapping of the ever vaster genomic and metagenomic databases, advance knowledge of mechanisms and processes. In the practical component, we will develop software for characterizing the diversity and predicting the impact of the many microbial communities we humans harbor. We believe this software will be of wide and immediate use to all microbiome scientists.

Past

  • DOE JGI Community Sequence Program Award for the "Sequencing the genome of Thermotogales strain mesAg.4.1 - a member of the putative mesotoga lineage" (PIs: Camilla L. Nesbo, Olga Zhaxybayeva, Eric Bapteste, Julia Foght, Kenneth M. Noll and W. Ford Doolittle)