The gift will be used for a facility on the St. Paul campus, and is expected to strengthen the university's position in the genomics field.
Genomics involves the study of the sequence, function and interrelationships of genes.
Scientists say the knowledge resulting from this work will lead to a more healthful food supply, new drugs and treatments, and new methods to clean up the environment. The research will benefit agriculture, produce new products and help preserve the environment. We applaud Cargill's role in making this happen. This is an excellent example of a public-private partnership to create a community of scholars doing research and teaching in an emerging field likely to spawn new industries and new answers to the pressures of rising population on global resources. Forecasters predict that the world's population will increase 33 percent by 2020, Staley added, and microbial and plant genomics will be essential to developing new ways to meet society's needs for better food, as well as improving health and the environment, Staley added.