Recent studies by the agencies, however, show that owl populations are declining by between four to eight percent a year. This suit demonstrates what scientists already know. It is long past time that we end old growth logging on public lands. Proteomics, a new area of scientific study, could lead to breakthroughs in cleanup technology for use at contaminated nuclear sites. Proteomics is the study of the role and function of proteins in living organisms under specific conditions.
Genome research is the identification of the precise gene patterns of living organisms.
Once developed, the technology could be used to aid in the cleanup of the Hanford Nuclear Facility in Richland, where plutonium for American nuclear weapons was manufactured from 1943 to 1988. About 60 percent of the nation's nuclear waste is located at Hanford. Mildred Dresselhaus , director of DOE's Office of Science, said the agency is launching a multimillion dollar annual program at the lab to develop new biological instrumentation expected to accelerate the pace of proteomics research. PNNL officials have long term plans for a major biological research program, including their vision for a new research complex at PNNL in Richland. Dresselhaus said the DOE wants PNNL to join the prestigious Joint Genome Institute, which serves as the central research arm for DOE genomics research and already has provided some of the initial genome discoveries.