Dear Members of the UConn Institute for Systems Genomics Community,

I am very pleased to announce the reappointment of Rachel O’Neill as director of the Institute for Systems Genomics for a second term of five years, effective August 23, 2022.

This renewal recognizes Dr. O’Neill’s outstanding leadership as the director of the institute since 2017. An overarching highlight during her tenure is the development of a growing critical mass in genomics, solidifying UConn as a top institution in this field. This activity cuts across a number of areas, including a research portfolio of $256 million in active grant awards in fiscal year 2022 alone; growth in the number of affiliations in terms of faculty, UConn units, and industry partners; expansion of academic programs; and increasing the user base and revenue return for core facilities. Additionally, ISG was a leading force behind UConn’s COVID surveillance program, which has been credited with supporting the University’s ability to respond proactively and quickly to potential outbreaks and minimize disruption in the academic experience.

The review process works best when it is collaborative and comprehensive. I am grateful to all of the faculty, administrators, and other key partners of the center who shared your feedback on Dr. O’Neill’s leadership. There were several common themes regarding her leadership, including her ability to build networks and facilitate collaborations, her development and promotion of a compelling vision for ISG, exceptional skill in organizational and operational management, and her effective communications across all internal and external contexts.

I also want to thank the review committee for their thoughtful oversight of this process. The committee was chaired by Steven Suib, Director of the Institute of Materials Science and Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, and included the following members: Adam Adler, Director of the Biomedical Science Ph.D. Program Immunology Concentration; Judy Brown, Director of the Health Care Genetics Professional Science Master’s Degree Program; Steven Geary, Professor and Department Head of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science; Stephanie Holden, Administrative Program Coordinator of the Institute for Systems Genomics; Amy Howell, Professor of Chemistry; and Barbara Mellone, Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology. Alexis Cassan, Executive Assistant to the Provost and Chief of Staff, managed administration of the committee.

In sum, Dr. O’Neill is a focused and driven leader who is committed to positioning UConn as a top-tier institution in genomics. She has propelled ISG forward in a number of ways already in her tenure and I trust she will continue to make significant strides as her appointment continues. Please join me in congratulating Dr. O’Neill on her reappointment and thanking her for her dedication and hard work on behalf of the Institute.

Sincerely,
Anne

Anne D’Alleva
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

The University of Connecticut Genetic Counseling Master of Science Degree in Genetic Counseling is an online professional master’s degree with new program accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling Programs. Follow the link to the Program website to learn more about how the faculty and clinical partners apply a systems approach to training for next generation’s translators of health.

The Genome Ambassador Program (GAP) kicked off the Spring 2022 semester with a new virtual seminar series “Exploring Topics in Diversity, Advocacy, and Genetics” hosted by students and open to anyone interested in the topic of the week. Martin Kellogg Middle School students will be hosted by GAP members on April 1, 2022 in the ISG/CGI facilities. The 7^th graders will trace traits in “make a monster” and “how picky is your pallet “activities, learn karyotyping, make a DNA necklace, and tour the CGI Next Generation sequencing lab. The GAP membership continues its weekly educational outreach on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter platforms. GAP members inclusive of alumni, faculty, graduates, and undergraduate students encourage you to join them in support of the Program’s mission to advance the genetic and genomic literacy of our community as a public education initiative and advocating for increased diversity of persons who pursue education and careers in the genetic sciences.  

The Cores within the ISG continue to ensure staff follow local, federal, University and CDC guidelines for physical distancing while efficiently meet the needs of those who require our genomics services.

CGI: The CGI has spent the last several months tackling our queue for services. We continue to accept new projects; note that disruptions to supply chains from various vendors impact our workflows. We will make every effort to let PIs know the most accurate timeline for sample processing and when interruptions to service occur. We appreciate your patience as we navigate the supply issues faced by facilities nation-wide.

What does this mean for CGI users who have been approved to return to campus for work in the laboratory?

• Eurofins Sanger submission daily pick up is now available using the dropbox in ESB.  If you prefer sending samples out directly from your lab, you can request shipping labels and/or envelopes from the CGI.
• Sample pick up from UConn Health sites will continue to be offered as needed. Please contact Bo Reese for more information on delivery options.
• In-person training for Illumina MiSeq, located in the Cell and Genome Sciences building at 400 Farmington Avenue, will be offered as needed.  
• Training for and access to CGI lab equipment, including sequencers, located in the Engineering and Science building at Storrs, is suspended until we are afforded increased personnel capacity in the facility, as per university and state guidelines.  If you require the use of one of our pieces of equipment, please contact us to arrange for processing.

In addition to following physical distancing guidelines, CGI staff will only be working in the lab to process samples and maintain critical equipment. Sample drop off for approved research must be coordinated ahead of time to ensure someone is on site and available to receive samples. As a result of these new safety measures and staffing protocols, turnaround time for data delivery of newly submitted samples will be communicated on a user-by-user basis.

Computational Biology Core:  To support the dramatic increase in computational needs among our users, the CBC continues to hold consultations/appointments via Webex or Zoom. In person meetings are available upon request. Please contact cbcsupport@uconn.edu to continue to request software installs, server accounts, consultations, or new projects.

We continue to support your computational needs and provide community support through our Slack channel, which is monitored daily: uconn-cbc.slack.com

The CBC continues to hold data therapy sessions and workshops in a virtual format. We encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions about future experiments and how best to plan for sample submission and project completion. We would also like to thank you for your support and understanding while we navigate through this unprecedented time.

Warm Regards,
Bo, Rachel and Jill

UConn Established as Center of Excellence for Wastewater-based COVID-19 Surveillance

Watch on NBC Connecticut:
UConn Recognized For Its Work Studying Covid-19 in Wastewater

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ON DEMAND RECORDING OF THIS LECTURE

The ISG’s newest certificate program is now accepting applications for Spring 2022 enrollment!

Systems Genomics: Clinical Communication and Counseling Online Graduate Certificate is a 12-credit asynchronous online program consisting of four courses designed to provide foundational concepts of counseling and health communication theories. Concepts of counseling are applied in varied formats toward creating effective provider-patient or advocate-consumer communication. 

Skill development will focus on supporting health care discussions and conversations requiring the tactful and effective explanation of genetic and genomic information to patients, their families, and consumers. This certificate program is designed for anyone practicing or working towards practicing in a healthcare field, who wants to improve work performance and/or for professional advancement.

Click here to visit the program’s website.

The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning has shared an exciting FREE professional development program available to all interested UConn employees. The Inclusive STEM Teaching Project, supported by NSF, is hosting a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) from October 13th – November 24^th. The six-week MOOC is designed to advance the awareness, self-efficacy, and ability of STEM faculty, postdocs, graduate students, and staff to cultivate inclusive learning environments for students.

Registration for the course opens Sept 6, 2021 through this link.

What’s in it for you?

Participants engage in deep reflection and discussion around topics of equity and inclusion across a variety of institutional contexts and strengthen capacity to contribute and improve the UConn landscape.

 Benefits to your participation in the MOOC  

• Access to teaching resources at a time where teaching inclusively in multiple modalities (in-person, online, hybrid/hi-flex) is essential
• Flexible learning – edX materials and activities are self-paced
• Opportunities to learn and refine skills in inclusive STEM instruction
• Documentation of participation in professional development (fee for optional  MOOC certificate)

We estimate you will spend 2-3 hours per week engaging in the course which includes review/completion of MOOC course materials.

Can’t attend right now?

Please share with your networks and encourage colleagues to take part in this exciting initiative!

The Cores within the ISG continue to ensure staff follow local, federal, University and CDC guidelines for physical distancing while efficiently meet the needs of those who require our genomics services.

CGI: The CGI has spent the last several months tackling our queue for services. We continue to accept new projects; note that disruptions to supply chains from various vendors impact our workflows. We will make every effort to let PIs know the most accurate timeline for sample processing and when interruptions to service occur. We appreciate your patience as we navigate the supply issues faced by facilities nation-wide.

What does this mean for CGI users who have been approved to return to campus for work in the laboratory?

• Eurofins Sanger submission daily pick up will no longer be available from ESB. You can request shipping labels and/or envelopes directly from Eurofins by emailing:  shipping@eurofins.com
• Protocols for sample pick up from UConn Health will continue under modified conditions. Please contact Bo Reese for more information on delivery options.
• In-person training for all CGI equipment is suspended until we are afforded increased personnel capacity in the facility, as per university and state guidelines. This suspension includes sequencers located in the Engineering and Science building at Storrs and the Cell and Genome Sciences building at 400 Farmington Avenue.
• Self-service access to CGI equipment (Storrs lab) is suspended until we are afforded increased personnel capacity in the facility, as per university and state guidelines. If you require the use of one of our pieces of equipment, please contact us to arrange for processing.

As regulations may change quickly, please contact us about in person training and self-service activities if you have questions.

In addition to following physical distancing guidelines, CGI staff will only be working in the lab to process samples and maintain critical equipment. Sample drop off for approved research must be coordinated ahead of time to ensure someone is on site and available to receive samples. As a result of these new safety measures and staffing protocols, turnaround time for data delivery of newly submitted samples will be communicated on a user-by-user basis.

Computational Biology Core:  To support the dramatic increase in computational needs among our users, the CBC continues to hold consultations/appointments via Webex or Zoom. In person meetings are available upon request. Please contact cbcsupport@uconn.edu to continue to request software installs, server accounts, consultations, or new projects.

We continue to support your computational needs and provide community support through our Slack channel, which is monitored daily: uconn-cbc.slack.com

The CBC continues to hold data therapy sessions and workshops in a virtual format. We encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions about future experiments and how best to plan for sample submission and project completion. We would also like to thank you for your support and understanding while we navigate through this unprecedented time.

Warm Regards,
Bo, Rachel and Jill