Insects are Important

Billions more are spent by farmers trying to prevent that damage. And the human health cost of insect-borne disease is greater still. All of which underscores the importance of the work being done by the Indiana Center for Insect Genomics. This collaboration of major academic and commercial partners applies genomics research to better understand and control the insect vectors of human and animal disease, as well as destructive agricultural insects.

An initial grant from the 21st Century Research and Technology Fund was used to pool the considerable resources of Notre Dame and Purdue, creating an entity that became a powerhouse in attracting federal grant dollars to fund further research. Dr. Frank H. Collins, George and Winifred Clark Chair in Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame-who is the principal investigator on a recent $10 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-points out that this is very promising for the Indiana economy. "Becoming academically prominent is just a first step. Once you begin to attract federal grants and generate good research, this enables you to attract top-tier graduate students and post docs, which will in turn encourage ormation of start-up companies and generate interest from established companies. We are, in fact, already working closely with Eli Lilly Elanco and Dow-Agrosciences."

The most recent award of 21st Century Fund money, under the direction of Dr. Jeanne Romero-Severson, Associate Professor of Quantitative and Population Genetics, University of Notre Dame, is helping to further expand the research alliance. "We thought that Indiana University, which already has a significant presence in several key areas of genomics and insect research, would greatly strengthen the Indiana Center for Insect Genomics. We now have three flagship academic institutions working together to pool insect genomics resources. This is a totally unbeatable combination that spans the entire state. I can’t think of such a concentration any place else in the world."

She also points out the biosecurity importance of the Indiana Center for Insect Genomics. "The Center gives Indiana a central role to play in anticipating and helping prevent threats from invasive foreign insect species that can cause human disease and crop damage. We’re ready-we have the ability to respond rapidly to whatever happens."