The Center of Excellence in Genomics (CEG) for enhancing the utilization ofmolecular tools in breeding and research

ICRISAT has partnered with the Department ofBiotechnology (DBT), Government of India, to establishthe Center of Excellence in Genomics (CEG) atICRISAT with financial support from the DBT. The CEGwas launched through an exchange of a Memorandum ofAgreement (MoA) signed by Dr William Dar, DirectorGeneral of ICRISAT and Dr MK Bhan, Secretary ofDBT on 13 December 2006 at a function organized atICRISAT headquarters at Patancheru, India (see photo).

The vision of the CEG is to make it possible foragricultural breeding and research programs initially inIndia but ultimately in many other parts of the world, tofully utilize modern genome analysis methods. It willachieve this vision by providing high-throughput moleculargenotyping and phenotyping technologies to a wide rangeof Indian public and private research and breedinginstitutes. Services to be provided by the CEG include:

(1) High-throughput, low-cost, allele detection platformssuch as whole-genome profiling using Diversity ArrayTechnology (DArT) analyses, sequencer based SSR(simple sequence repeat) analyses, and allele discoveryusing TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions inGenome) and EcoTILLING approaches; (2) Access tolarge-scale field screening for abiotic stresses; (3) Biometricsand bioinformatics support; and (4) Fellowships andtraining courses for scientists and students from Indiannational agricultutral research systems (NARS) in the useof high-throughput methods in breeding and research.Further details about the CEG can be found atwww.ceg.icrisat.org.

Contributed by: DA HoisingtonICRISAT

Patancheru 502 324Andhra Pradesh, India

Launching of CEG at ICRISAT.

An Open Access Journal published by ICRISAT________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SAT eJournal | ejournal.icrisat.org December 2007 | Volume 3 | Issue 1