The National Science Foundation Division of Biological Infrastructure awarded Iowa State University of Science and Technology $171,388 on December 1, 2026, under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to conduct collaborative research on polyploid genome fractionation as a driver of phenotypic novelty. Work performance runs through November 30, 2029, at Iowa State University's Ames, Iowa campus.
The project uses cutting-edge biotechnology including CRISPR genome editing and AI-driven gene discovery approaches to understand how genome doubling (polyploidy) links to gene function and novel phenotypes. The recipient will study the flowering plant genus Tragopogon (goatsbeard), which contains polyploid species formed within the last 100 years, providing a model system to examine immediate consequences of polyploidy on gene expression and phenotypic variation. Iowa State has an established CRISPR system in Tragopogon from prior NSF funding, enabling controlled study of genetic control of phenotypic innovation. Findings are intended to have broad implications across agriculture, horticulture, and medicine, given the prevalence of polyploidy across contemporary species. Educational and training activities will address team science, plant genomics, gene-editing laboratory techniques, and the genotype-phenotype connection. Breakthrough technologies will be disseminated through workshops at national conferences and public outreach initiatives.