Soybean EST Project History and Organization


The Soybean EST project was developed subsequent to several meetings held in Des Moines, IA, St. Louis, MO, and Washington D.C. with representatives of commodity groups, public and private scientists, and producers/growers. During these meetings the format of the project was established, initial library priorities and considerations were addressed, industrial and public interactions were discussed in depth, and the need for a standing Advisory Committee was emphasized. Many of the participants of the initial meetings are represented on this Committee. Each member of the Committee offers expertise, experience and unique perspectives on the needs of the soybean (legume) community or issues of technology and science.


SOYBEAN EST PROJECT PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS

Randy C. Shoemaker
USDA-ARS, Research Geneticist
Department of Agronomy
Iowa State University
rcsshoe@iastate.edu
Paul S. Keim
The E. Raymond and Ruth Reed Cowden Endowed Chair of Microbiology
Department of Biology
Northern Arizona University
keim@nauvax.ucc.nau.edu
Lila Vodkin
Professor
Department of Crop Science
University of Illinois
l-vodkin@uiuc.edu
Robert Waterston, Director
Marco Marra, Co-Director
Washington University School of Medicine
Genome Sequencing Center
St. Louis, MO
mmarra@alu.wustl.edu
David Smoller
President
Incyte Genomics, Inc.
St. Louis, MO
dsmoller@stl.incyte.com
Ernest Retzel
Director
Academic Computing and Bioinformatics
University of Minnesota
ernest@lenti.med.umn.edu

cDNA libraries will be prepared by post-doctoral researchers, technicians and undergraduates in the laboratories of Shoemaker, Vodkin and Keim. Incyte Genomics, Inc. (Smoller) will be responsible for colony plating, robotically picking and arraying of colonies in dishes. Smoller will also be responsible for assigning identifications to each clone and ensuring that they are replicated, maintained and distributed. (This role will be carried out by part-time dedication of an experienced technologist.) Washington University will be responsible for sequencing, annotating sequences, sizing of clone, and depositing of sequence information into a public database. (This role will be carried out by experienced programmers and technologists already on-site.) Retzel will be responsible for ensuring that computer programs are available to make the data to be generated maximally useful. (This will require one dedicated programmer.)


SOYBEAN EST PROJECT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Robert BollaProfessor, St. Louis University
Dwayne BuxtonUSDA-ARS-NPL, Beltsville
Joesph ByrumGenomics Project Leader, Monsanto/Asgrow
Frans De Bruijn Professor, Michigan State University, DOE Plant Research Laboratory
Perry CreganUSDA-ARS, Beltsville
Halina KnappProfessor, Clemson University
Michael MayProduction Project Administrator, United Soybean Board
Niels NielsenUSDA-ARS, Adjunct Professor, Purdue University
Keith SmithCommodity Board Advisor, Keith Smith And Associates
Chris SomervilleDirector, Carnegie Institute, Stanford University
Shauna Somerville Professor, Carnegie Institute, Stanford University
James SpechtProfessor, University Of Nebraska
David WebbProject Leader, Pioneer Hi-Bred International
Desh Pal VermaProfessor, Ohio State University


SOYBEAN EST PROJECT COOPERATORS

Public participation is encouraged in this Project. Many cooperators have already provided RNA, tissues or seed of special-interest materials for which they have unique expertise.

Tara Van Toai, USDA-ARS
Ohio State University
RNA AND cDNAflooding tolerance
Robert Bolla
St. Louis University
cDNAsoybean cyst
Halina Knapp
Clemson University
RNA AND cDNAfasciated plants
James Specht
University Of Nebraska
seedmutant isolines
Gary Stacey
University Of Tennessee
tissuesupernodulating plants

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