Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology

Where Science Meets Society

An interdisciplinary institute dedicated to transformative research and technology in life sciences using team-based strategies to tackle grand societal challenges.

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Engaging with the Public Through Science and Technology

By engaging with the public through programs and events, publications, and citizen science efforts, we ensure that our work continues to be relevant and impactful, a force for positive change in the wider world. Our creative outreach and education programs expose people to transformative research and how we can use genomics to help solve preeminent problems faced by local and global communities. More ...

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NEWS ARCHIVE // New approach helps geneticists identify genes responsible for complex traits

Professor of Microbiology Rachel Whitaker, with graduate students Whitney England and Ted Kim, are using pseudomonas aeruginosa as a model system for health effects of viral/bacteria interactions.

Researchers study bacterial immunity to understand infectious disease

Over two years of field trials, scientists Donald Ort (right), Paul South (center) and Amanda Cavanagh (left) found tobacco plants engineered to shortcut photorespiration are about 40 percent more productive in real-world field conditions. Now they are translating this technology hoping to boost the yield of key food crops, including soybeans, rice, cowpeas, and cassava.

Scientists engineer shortcut for photosynthetic glitch, boost crop growth 40%

Illinois researchers developed a technique to unmute silent genes in Streptomyces bacteria using decoy DNA fragments to lure away repressors. Pictured, from left: postdoctoral researcher Fang Guo, professor Huimin Zhao and postdoctoral researcher Bin Wang.

Unmuting large silent genes produces new molecules, potential drugs

Members of the research team (right to left): Bioengineering seniors Erin Tevonian and Melina Megaridis, Post-doctoral fellow Kathrin Bohn-Wippert, Bioengineering graduate students Meng-Yao Huang and Yiyang Lu, and Professor Roy Dar.

Cell size and cell-cycle states play key decision-making role in HIV

Psychology professor Aron Barbey and his colleagues found a relationship between blood levels of several key nutrients associated with the Mediterranean diet and healthy brain connectivity and cognition.

Study links nutrient patterns in blood to better brain connectivity, cognition

IGB RESOURCES // Take Action, Find Help, Download Docs

GET ACQUAINTED // Genomics For (TM), Art of Science, Genome Day, SING, MOOC, SciFlix, Pollen Power, IGB Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Art of Science

The IGB’s Art of Science program is a celebration of common ground between science and art. View our Art of Science Galleries here.

Fox Family Innovation and Entrepreneurship Certificate Program

Our certificate program designed to introduce IGB and science academics to fundamental business methodologies to become successful innovators and entrepreneurs.

Genome Day

Genome Day is an opportunity to educate the community about genomes, genes, DNA, and evolution, held each year at the Orpheum Children’s Science Museum in Champaign.

MOOC

Available via our partnership with Coursera, the IGB's Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) “Genomics: Decoding the Universal Language of Life” is a beginner level course. Enroll now at www.coursera.org/learn/genomics-research.

"Genomics for" Professionals

Professionals from the fields of law, medicine, business and education attend specially tailored genomics education programs, such as our Genomics for Judges workshop.

GET INVOLVED // Learn about Genomics, Meet the Postdoc Association, Become a Fellow, Start a Theme, Join iGEM, Give to the IGB

Learn about Genomics

Try some of our most popular activities at home, view our range of video resources to introduce various genomics concepts, take part in our Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) “Genomics: Decoding the Universal Language of Life," and find out when and where our community events will take place such as our popular Art of Science program or our annual Genome Day.

Postdoc Association

The IGB Postdoctoral Association provides professional guidance and social opportunities for post-doctoral scholars. We hold seminars to inform postdocs of the tools and services available at IGB, organize workshops and resources for career development, and host events to encourage social interaction and professional collaboration between members of the community. Every postdoctoral researcher at IGB is welcome to contribute their ideas and suggestions for events.

Become a Fellow

The IGB offers a number of fellowships: IGB Fellows typically spend two years, ideally in research which overlaps with two or more thematic areas. The Carl R. Woese Undergraduate Research Scholar Program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to pursue research during the summer. And Carl R. Woese Postdoctoral Fellows are truly exceptional young scholars at the forefront of their field in evolution, emergence of life, quantitative biology, and genomics.

Start a Theme

The mission of the IGB is to advance life sciences research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and to stimulate bio-economic development in the State of Illinois. Its near-term strategic objective is to identify and promote the development of innovative research themes that will capitalize on recent advances in genome science and technology. New themes may be proposed at any time, by any member on campus, through the instructions provided in the IGB Theme Proposal Whitepaper.

Give to the IGB

Maintaining our commitment to excellence in life-sciences education and research isn't easy. Constant innovation means constant renovation of facilities and technologies. The state helps cover basic costs, but a large number of our research programs are supported solely through private funding. To stay on the cutting edge of science, the IGB needs your help.

IGB EVENTS // View all of the IGB's upcoming calendar activities.

IGB FACULTY SPOTLIGHT LECTURE

Shannon Sirk, PhD (MME)
University of Illinois, Department of Bioengineering; IGB Affiliate, Microbiome Metabolic Engineering theme

"Exploring and Expanding the Benefit of Beneficial Microbes"