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It’s DnaMiTE!
DNA Microarray Training and Education Program

The University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (UMBI) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), announce the creation of the DnaMITE Program, a training and educational program that focuses on DNA microarrays.

DNA microarrays:

• Enable rapid and global analysis of cell responses to various insults
• Are widely used today in drug discovery and disease diagnosis
• Offer insights into other areas such as the elucidation of cell stress responses to disinfectants and sterilizing agents

The DnaMite Program’s s objectives are:

• To examine the genotoxicological response of several bacteria to chemical agents, such as alcohol, glutaraldehyde, peracetic acid, sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, etc.
• To determine if bacterial autoinduction is affected and how this might be incorporated into application regimens.

This research thrust will lead to a more mechanistic understanding of antimicrobial resistance, and ultimately the development of new and safer disinfectants and application regimens.

How can students get involved?
An essential component of the DnaMITE Program is the unique educational partnership between the University of Maryland and the EPA. Selected students are awarded an opportunity to explore DNA microarray technology within the U.S. EPA Office of Pesticide Programs laboratories at Fort Meade, MD, while performing research towards their degrees at the University of Maryland.

Want more information about DnaMITE?
Contact Professor William Bentley at bentley@eng.umd.edu.  Please also visit the EPA's Microarray Research Laboratory website.