Ecological and Evolutionary Functional Genomics (EuroEEFG)

The unprecedented scope of genomic information allows ecologists and evolutionary biologists to gain new perspectives on the genes that matter in the environment. This includes insights into the role of genes and their regulation in such varied processes as stress responses (e.g., climate change, temperature, parasites, pathogens, herbivores and contaminants) and the mapping between genotype and phenotype (in, e.g., development, life histories, adaptive population divergence, ecotypic differentiation, and speciation).

At the molecular evolutionary level, comparative genomics across species is uncovering the architectural aspects of the genome that influence important evolutionary processes such as gene duplication, horizontal gene transfer, adaptive variation for cis and trans effects upon transcriptional regulation, and ultimately speciation. Similarly, genomics tools applied to experimental evolution of key species in the laboratory allows many of these same questions, as well as questions related to short-term adaptive and neutral evolution, to be addressed under highly controlled conditions.

At the other end of the spectrum, field ecologists need to be able to identify and track cells and organisms, e.g., using phylochips and functional gene chips, to assess evolutionary change in ecosystems. Transcriptomics and metagenomics are revolutionizing community genetics of microorganisms and our overall understanding of multitrophic organization of entire communities and, in the foreseeable future, ecosystems. In short, a great deal of integrative state-of-the-art research is waiting as genomics tools come on line.

When can be applied

Closing date for submitting applications was 6 March 2009, 12:00 hrs.

Extra Information

Applications may be submitted online at the ESF. For information see www.esf.org/index.php?id=5453.  

Criteria

Criteria for applications are laid down by ESF. See the Call for Outline Proposals on <www.esf.org/index.php?id=5453.

Furthermore, applications by Dutch researchers should comply with the Open programme (in Dutch) of ALW.

Procedure

Procedure for assessing applications is laid down by ESF. See the Call for Outline Proposals on www.esf.org/index.php?id=5453.

Financiers

The Dutch contribution to this transnational programme is the NWO Division for Earth and Life Sciences.

Contacts

• Mw. drs. M. van het Groenewoud-Groot
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 06 26, fax: +31 (0)70 381 90 33, e-mail: m.vanhetgroenewoud@nwo.nl

no documentation available