PORTLAND – The National Science Foundation awarded a $2.6 million grant to a graduate genetics program.

The presence of such a program is hoped to attract more research money to Maine, which eventually would attract students back to the state to work.

The program offers doctoral degrees in the field of “functional genomics.” It is being established by the University of Maine in Orono, The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor and the Maine Medical Center Research Institute in Portland.

The first three students, funded by a grant from the university’s research office, began classes last fall. Eventually there will be 14 students in the program.

The program includes studies in mathematical modeling, statistics, computer science and the physical sciences as well as the biological sciences to train students to decipher genetic codes.

“Biology is coming to the point where we really need them to move ahead,” said Keith Hutchison, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Maine. “It’s a tremendously exciting area and time at this point, I think. We’re not the only ones doing [this kind of graduate program], but we’re somewhat leading the charge on it. There’s not very many other programs like it around this country.”

Hutchinson said the National Science Foundation grant would allow the program to offer its students more competitive stipends. Most graduate assistantships at the university have been several thousand dollars shy of the national average, he said.

“We might be offering on the order of $11,000 or $12,000 a year, and most students around the country this year are being offered stipends on the order of $18,000 to $20,000,” he said. “Many of our best minds have been going into other things because the dollars haven’t been there to attract them into the sciences.”

Barbara Knowles, associate director of the Jackson Lab and director of research, said that after they graduate, students would be expected to gain more education and experience wherever they can get it. But she said it’s hoped that some will return to Maine.