From the Director

Reprinted from the IBG Annual Report for 2005-2006.

The Institute continues to be a center of excellence and outstanding accomplishment in graduate education, research training, and the creation of new research knowledge about genetic influences on behavior.

During the past year, IBG faculty published 82 journal articles, 7 book chapters and 52 abstracts. The total IBG budget during 2005-2006 (including general fund support, grants and gifts) was $11,809,507. Most significantly, of that amount, $10,364,953 represented research and training awards. As much of our funding derives from the National Institutes of Health, whose budget is facing tight constraints, we may anticipate an increasingly competitive environment. Despite this, we continue to be successful in attracting new research awards and developing new interdisciplinary collaborative research opportunities. A continuing goal is to expand our research portfolio through interdisciplinary collaborations with academic units on the Boulder campus, across campuses, and nationally.

In early 2006 we were able to occupy the completed addition of 5700 square feet of testing, wet laboratory, and office space, built as an extension of the second floor of the main IBG building. We have migrated a number of activities from the adjacent research building into the new wing, and have now begun renovating the vacated space to provide additional high quality laboratories.

During the year we were conducting a search to fill a new faculty position in statistical behavior genetics and are delighted that Dr. Matt McQueen is joining us from the Harvard School of Public Health. We have very high hopes and expectations for his success and contributions to the Institute and the University and warmly welcome him as a Faculty Fellow and Assistant Professor of Psychology.

The Institute holds three separate training grants awarded by the National Institute on Mental Health, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Together these awards allow the Institute to fully support 13 graduate students and 5 postdoctoral trainees in behavior genetics. Additionally, the Director of IBG serves as co-PI on an NIAAA postdoctoral training grant, directed by Paula Hoffman at the Health Sciences Center in Denver; this funds 7 postdoctoral fellows, including two at IBG during 2005-6. IBG also hosted the annual one-week training workshop in statistical methods for twin and family studies, supported by the National Institute of Mental Health. This is internationally recognized as the one of the premier short courses in human statistical genetics for the study of behavior and complex traits, and in March 2006 was attended by 92 trainees and 15 international faculty.

Among honors and awards to IBG students and faculty during 2005-6 were those to Jim Sikela, who received an Award for Excellence in Research from his Department of Pharmacology, to Richard Olson, who received the Geschwind Memorial Lecture Award from the International Dyslexia Association, and to Mike Breed who was elected a fellow of the Entomological Society of America, and who received the Robert Stearns Award for service to the University and the Herd Teaching Recognition Award. Lara Ray received a Student Merit Award from the Research Society on Alcoholism.

As I do annually, I must thank all of the faculty, staff, and students of the Institute for their superb professional and scientific performance and for the collegiality that remains a distinguishing and necessary characteristic of the Institute. In particular, I thank John DeFries who served as Acting Director during my sabbatical leave in the Spring of 2006. A special thanks also goes to the Assistant Director, Dr. Toni Smolen, and to Ms. Elaine Pauly, Ms. Deborah Aguiar, Mr. Sean Shelby, and Mr. Andy Gross for their work in preparing this report.

John K. Hewitt
Director