This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. A central goal of the Bioinformatics Core is to create a critical mass of faculty and support staff with expertise in bioinformatics and to facilitate their communication and interaction to meet the needs of the developing research community in the state. Objective 1: New Faculty Establish a core group of researchers with expertise in bioinformatics by recruiting new faculty and enhancing the capabilities of existing bioinformatics faculty at UALR, UAMS, and UAF. Existing research programs at UAMS, UALR, and UAF are using techniques that generate large amounts of data requiring expert management. Consequently, one of the greatest needs within the University of Arkansas System is to build a group of researchers and support staff with a specific focus in the field of bioinformatics. Objective 2: Access Grid Establish an effective communication network among the faculty at UALR, UAMS, and UAF through Access Grid studios connected via the high-speed Internet2. Access Grid studios have been established at UALR, UAF, UAMS and Arkansas State University. Objective 3: Bioinformatics Education Under the guidance of the BRIN UALR and UAMS have partnered to create educational and research opportunities in the field of bioinformatics for undergraduate and graduate students in colleges and universities throughout Arkansas with the development of undergraduate courses at UALR and a joint graduate program between UALR and UAMS in bioinformatics. A very important mission of the BRIN Bioinformatics Core is to cooperate in the development of educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students throughout Arkansas. Current efforts to attract biotechnology industries to Arkansas makes the education of our students in computational biology a priority.