PNNL

Abstract

This is the inaugural year for a new series of symposia on systems biology. Particular focus will be on identifying current breakthrough technologies and their application to important model systems. By integrating computational sciences, high-throughput technologies and quantitative biology, we hope to facilitate advancements in this important new area of research.In this first year we are focusing on the four different research areas contained within the new U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Genomes to Life program. This program is the successor to the Human Genome Project and exceeds it in scope and ambition. Its goal is to understand the basis of life and ?to venture beyond characterizing such individual life components as genes and other DNA sequences toward a more comprehensive, integrated view of biology at a whole-systems level.? These goals will be met by1. identifying the protein machines that carry out critical life functions2. characterizing the gene regulatory networks that control these machines3. exploring the functional repertoire of complex microbial communities in their natural environments to provide a foundation for understanding and using their remarkably diverse capabilities to address DOE missions4. developing the computational capabilities to integrate and understand these data and begin to model complex biological systems.