IGERT Overview

Evolution, Genomics, and Development

The continuing origin of novel form and function characterizes life on Earth. Although changes occur within populations, they transform genomes to alter the development of individuals. Integral to understanding these processes are several, traditionally separate, disciplinary fields: evolution, developmental biology, and genomics.  Each field brings a unique perspective to understanding the mechanisms responsible for the origin of biodiversity, including how new structures and functions evolve in populations over time, and what mechanisms of genome change accompany the evolution of developmental innovations.  Nonetheless, the historically fractionated nature of the life sciences has been a major impediment to resolving these issues -- the lack of an integrated understanding of the ways in which organisms obtain their form during development and the ways in which morphological diversification originates via population-genetic mechanisms.

The UO/IU IGERT Program

[visit the UO IGERT website]

Indiana University and the University of Oregon share a substantial training grant from the NSF for Graduate Training in the Evolution of Development and Genomics.  Our program's interdisciplinary research theme is to train graduate students to investigate emerging problems at the interface of evolution, development, genomics, and bioinformatics by combining expertise at the University of Oregon and Indiana University. The award is funded by NSF's IGERT (Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training) Program, the focus of which is on support for training at the interface between traditionally isolated research areas. Our goal is to train graduate students in a truly interdisciplinary program, in which their intellectual interests, and their practical research, integrates two or more of our focal training fields.

Novel aspects of our training activities include: 1) a program linking developmental and evolutionary biology, with a strong emphasis on genomics, involving collaborative research; 2) a formal graduate course in the evolution of development; 3) a unique dual-mentoring system involving a distinguished set of faculty in developmental and evolutionary biology; 4) an annual program of events focused on specialized areas in evolutionary developmental biology; and 5) a funding program that facilitates the incorporation of under-represented groups and off-campus students.

IGERT trainees are typically provided with two years of fellowship support, and are expected to remain associated with the program throughout their graduate career at IU. In addition, other IU Biology graduate students may opt to become IGERT ‘affiliates’. Affiliates may participate in all the activities open to an IGERT trainee, including journal clubs and seminar participation.  Affiliation with the IGERT program can also aid in obtaining future IGERT funding, when new fellowship opportunities become available.