DOE Awards Research Grants for Genomics

The Department of Energy last week awarded research grants totaling $92 million for six projects to better understand microbes and microbial communities, which are believed to have potential application in ethanol and hydrogen production, the cleanup of former nuclear weapons sites, and in minimizing global warming by controlling the cycling of atmospheric carbon dioxide. “Unique microbial biochemistries offer a virtually limitless resource that can be applied to develop biology-based solutions to these challenges,” says Raymond L. Orbach, director of DOE’s Office of Science. The six projects involve 75 senior scientists at 21 institutions: four DOE national laboratories, 15 universities or research institutes, one federal laboratory, and one private company. The grants are part of the Office of Science’s genomics research program. “This program’s goal is to understand microbes so well that their diverse capabilities can be harnessed for DOE and other national energy and environmental needs,” Orbach says. DOE says the six new research projects will help scientists understand how microbial communities function in their natural habitats and respond to changes in their environments.