The UO’s plan to elevate its genetics and genomics program is the latest piece of the Clusters of Excellence initiative to be featured in The Register-Guard.

The story in the paper’s Sept. 2 edition describes the plan to hire key faculty to probe further into the world of genes and how they transfer information across generations. The new cluster will take advantage of sophisticated lab machines that sequence DNA and help scientists find mutations and pinpoint genes responsible for specific tasks or diseases.

The team also will delve into the field of epigenetics, which expands the study of inheritable traits beyond DNA to include information contained in other parts of a cell. The proposed Center for Genome Function calls for three new faculty members in the fields of genetics, genomics and epigenetics along with two half-time research associates.

The genetics cluster was proposed by biology professors Eric Selker, Eric Johnson, Kryn Stankunas and Diana Libuda, who currently is at Stanford but will join the UO in January. It is one of 10 initiatives selected for the first round of priority funding.

The UO is using funds it has set aside to help kickstart some of the initiatives and is seeking private donors to help fund the rest of the effort. Initiatives will be launched as resources become available.