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The Center for Integrated Fungal Research (CIFR) is comprised of five laboratories, at North Carolina State University. Dr. Ralph Dean, Center Director, was instrumental in the establishment of CIFR as an official UNC Center and provides leadership in research and educational objectives of CIFR. Dr. Dean, an authority in the genomic sciences community, Associate Director, Dr. Gary Payne, a leading researcher in fungal parasitism and mycotoxins, and CIFR faculty collaborate to achieve significant breakthroughs in fungal research that will impact human welfare worldwide.

The Center for Integrated Fungal Research at North Carolina State University has several major scientific goals:

• the discovery and analysis of complete gene sets from major plant pathogenic and industrially important fungal species;
• the creation of affordable, durable genomic resources and their distribution to the fungal research community;
• the understanding of genome organization, population biology and fungal evolution; whole genome reconstruction; and comparative and global functional analyses to decode the molecular basis of disease caused by fungal pathogens.
• provide training and instruction for students, post doctoral fellows and visiting scientists in fungal biology and genomics.

In addition, CIFR has goals to develop human capital resources. CIFR will provide collaborative and innovative research opportunities, undergraduate and graduate training, and pre-college educational outreach designed to:

• create and disseminate original knowledge to scientists, students, industry, and society;
• educate a new generation of scientists who recognize and understand the importance of genomics research;
• increase the participation of underrepresented groups in the field of scientific research;
• increase scientific literacy in the K-12 classroom.

CIFR is currently housed in the Partners III Building on Centennial Campus at NCSU. Centennial Campus is NCSU's vision of a "techopolis" mixing the complementary benefits of university faculty, students and research centers with industry and government counterparts, as well as a blend of large, small and entrepreneurial businesses. 

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