NRSP8: Building Applied Genomic Capacity for Animal Industries

Application of emerging technologies puts additional pressures on the broader animal science community to apply new omics technologies and the ability to handle big data. The new NRSP-8 seeks to help provide training and resources to use genomics, epigenetics, phenomics, and sensing technologies across research communities and industry working with domestic animals.

Current membership: 62 from 51 institues.

More details can be found in the USDA/NIFA Documents on current NRSP8 program Building Applied Genomic Capacity for Animal Industrie.

 Aims

• Specific Aim 1: Extending genomics capacity to a broader range of Animal Science stakeholders.
• Survey stakeholders on data capacity needs;
• Design workflows to simplify data sharing;
• Develop resources (e.g., protocols.io) for genomic workflows;
• Support community use of micropublications that ensure datasets are publicly available and citable;
• Generate community benchmarks for data analysis and re-use
• Specific Aim 2: Supporting capacity to integrate genomic and biological data.
• Workshops to identify stakeholder data collection and data analysis gaps;
• Roundtable discussions with molecular biologists/geneticists, informaticians and engineers to develop interdisciplinary teams;
• Support for students and early career investigators, including attendance at bioinformatics and data science meetings
• Specific Aim 3: Education, training and outreach to develop a data-savvy workforce.
• Development and publication of stand-alone educational modules that can be added to existing animal science courses or used as stand-alone training;
• Linking educational modules with micro-certificates that signal data competencies;
• Development of a mailing list/bulletin board to publicize internship opportunities between stakeholders, students and academic advisors in animal science;
• Bioinformatics training workshops at meetings and conferences