The National Science Foundation awarded the University more than $11 million in grants to study the genome sequences of a soil bacterium and a legume.

Plant pathology and plant biology professor Nevin Young will lead the University’s study of a legume using $10.8 million from the foundation.

The model legume provides the experimental system to study soybeans, mung beans, chickpeas and lentils, according to a University press release.

Michael Sadowsky, a professor in the University’s department of soil, water and climate, and Lawrence Wackett, a professor in the department of biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics, will lead a two-year project to determine the genome sequence of Arthrobacter aurescens, a soil bacterium. The University received $699,245 in grant money from the foundation for this project, according to a University press release.