2022 Minnesota Futures Grants

The Office for the Vice President for Research (OVPR) has awarded 2022 Minnesota Futures Grants to two projects. This program offers funding each year to promote research that incorporates new, cross-disciplinary ideas. OVPR granted nearly $500,000 to two projects this year.

• MSI PI Emilie Snell-Rood (associate professor, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior) is the Principal Investigator on the project entitled “Lead Bioavailability and Ecological Remediation Across the Twin Cities.” MSI PI Cara Santelli (assistant professor, Earth and Environmental Sciences; Biotechnology Institute) is a co-PI on this project.
• MSI PI Yasu Kawakami (associate professor, Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development) is the Principal Investigator on the project entitled “Investigating Epigenetic Mechanisms in the Development of Craniospinal Sarcoma.” MSI PIs Andrew Venteicher (assistant professor, Neurosurgery) and Tomoyuki Koga (assistant professor, Neurosurgery) are co-PIs on this project.

Descriptions of both projects can be found on the OVPR’s Inquiry website: 2022 Minnesota Futures Awards Announced.

Professor Snell-Rood uses MSI for RNA-sequencing in studies of caterpillars and butterflies. Professor Santelli uses RNA-sequencing software at MSI to study interactions between minerals and microorganisms, including fungi. Professor Kawakami is using genomics-analysis tools at MSI to study transcription factors in developing embryos. Professor Venteicher uses MSI resources for genomics, proteomic, and single-cell approaches to analyzing tumors in the central nervous system. Professor Koga is using genomic sequencing tools available through MSI to study glioblastoma.