Program Profile

Description

The Institute for Genomic Diversity (IGD) is devoted to research and training in genetic diversity, plant genomics, biodiversity conservation, and solving problems affecting global food security. Our education and outreach projects include both hosting visitors at IGD and co-organizing workshops around the world, as well as producing other resources for the international community.Since its inception, national program scientists and graduate students at the IGD have included individuals from Niger, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, India, Kenya, Mexico, Venezuela, Nigeria, Ghana, Indonesia, Spain and more. The IGD has received scientists from international agricultural research centers including CIAT, CIP, CIMMYT, ICARDA, IITA, ILRI, ICRAF, ICRISAT, and IPGRI. In total, over 200 guests from 25 countries have spent time at the IGD.Research projects conducted at IGD have included: evaluating the functional and evolutionarily important allelic variation in maize, comparing genome-wide diversity in sorghum and wild sorghum, analyzing molecular markers in the Asian longhorned beetle, developing new markers in pearl millet, analyzing SNP markers in cassava, identifying fast evolving genes in sorghum, genetic analysis of Sorghum as a biomass feedstock and for ethanol production, and others. Find out more on our projects page and our individual staff and visitors pages.IGD has been involved in workshops and other educational activities, including the development of the Resource Center & Helpdesk for scientists, and a Molecular Markers CD, which has been requested by over 500 scientists and teachers from more than 30 countries. Nearly 200 middle and high-school students have visited IGD, with other students and teachers visited at their schools.At present, the IGD hosts approximately 20 staff, visiting scientists and students. Graduate students representing the Departments of Plant Breeding, Plant Pathology, Plant Biology, and others are actively learning and employing the tools of genomics and bioinformatics to address their specific research problems.

Target Countries

No target countries have been selected.

Target Regions

Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America