Cal State Fullerton has been awarded a $1.5 million National Institutes of Health grant to create a program designed to help students dive into the fascinating world of genomics and build diversity in the field.

The grant funds “Project EAGER: Enabling Access to Genomics Experience and Research,” which allows undergraduate students to work on cutting-edge research in genomics and related fields like computational biology and bioinformatics, said Nikolas Nikolaidis, project director and professor of biological science.

Genomics is a branch of science that explores genes and how they influence health, disease and even individual traits. The project partners with renowned genomics researchers at UC Berkeley, where CSUF students will conduct summer research. 

“Students will participate in research projects ranging from analyzing large genomic datasets to studying the evolutionary history of genes across species,” said Nikolaidis, an expert in bioinformatics and molecular evolutionary biology, which are critical components of genomics research. This hands-on experience will allow students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-world scientific problems.

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