SUSTAINING THE RESEARCH AND GRID COMPUTING COMPONENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA’S UNESCO – HP BRAIN GAIN PROJECT.

Dr Mrs F. I. Akaneme and Engr. Collins Nnalue Onwukwe Udanor

National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), Nigeria

Mrs F. I. Akaneme : florence.akaneme@unn.edu.ng
Collins Nnalue Onwukwe Udanor collins.udanor@unn.edu.ng

Connect with Africans in Diaspora in conducting plant tissue culture experiments that will entail the use of grid computing techniques.
Objective:
The objective of the project is to liaise with Africans in Diaspora to facilitate researches on plant tissue culture as well as use grid computing technology for data analysis under the auspices of the UNESCO-HP Reversing Brain Drain to Brain Gain Initiative. Specifically, the project has the following objectives:
1.    Establish plant tissue culture experiment that will entail the use of distributed computing techniques so that University of Nigeria researchers will acquire functional skills in grid computing technology.
2.    Develop training modules on tissue culture for researchers and students of the University of Nigeria and affiliate institutions, drawing from resources gained for the first phase of the Project.
3.    Expand and upgrade existing facilities at the University of Nigeria grid computing laboratory.
4.    Identify and contact more Diasporas to network with University of Nigeria scientists in achieving the aim of the UNN-UNESCO-HP Brain Grain initiative.
5.    Disseminate the findings from the experiment on plant tissue culture.

Activities
1.    Conduct plant tissue culture experiment that includes the use of distributed computing techniques.
2.    Develop modules on different aspects of animal and plant tissue culture related to research techniques in mushrooms, cassava and other local staples production.
3.    Host the biotechnology modules on the project website and provide access to lecturers/students at the Universities of Nigeria and other affiliate institutions.
4.    Expand and Upgrade the existing grid computing laboratory facilities at the University of Nigeria Biotechnology Centre.
5.    Contact University of Nigeria Alumni Associations in United Kingdom, United States and other Diasporas for the purpose of enlisting them into the data base of the UNN-UNESCO-HP Brain Gain initiative.
6.    Disseminate research findings by posting them on the website.

Final year undergraduate students of the University of Nigeria and other collaborating Universities in South East zone
Postgraduate students of the University of Nigeria and other collaborating Universities in South East zone.
Lecturers from the participating universities and other affiliate agricultural institutions.

• PLANT TISSUE CULTURE TECHNIQUE
• SIMULATION USING ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS OVER THE GRID