Wat is het nationaal programma ecogenomics?
NWO-ALW en NGI werken samen voor het onderwerp ecogenomics. De samenwerking vindt plaats op het terrein van fundamenteel wetenschappelijk onderzoek en is gebaseerd op het door de Netherlands Ecogenomics Research Organisation (NERO) geschreven en met haar achterban afgestemde “national programme evolutionary en ecological genomics” (NP-EEG). Dit nationaal programma omvat drie thema’s Metagenomics, Adaptation and Environmental Change en Comparative genomics and evolution.NGI zal het thema metagenomics realiseren. NWO-ALW realiseert de onderwerpen Adaptation and Environmental Change en Comparative genomics and evolution.
Probleemstelling
Ecogenomics is the emerging scientific discipline that studies the structure and function of a genome with the aim to understand the relationship between the organism and its biotic and abiotic environment (Van Straalen & Roelofs 2006). Ecogenomics involves several lines of research such as: unraveling patterns of genome evolution using (complete) DNA sequences; studying the impact of environmental factors on species at a functional genomics level by DNA microarray-based technology; investigating and discovering uncultivable microorganisms by metagenomics approaches; studying the role of (epi)genetic variation in stress responses and its impact on evolutionary change; and studying gene-environment-function relationships among different species using comparative genomics. The main drivers from a scientific point of view are to use new opportunities provided by the ‘omics’-technology revolution and apply these tools to better understand gene-function relations, to learn more about species interactions and the mechanisms of evolutionary change, to discover novel micro-life species and functions, and to better monitor and predict the potential impact of environment, landscape and climate changes on populations and ecosystems.
The focus will lie on a functional approach to the relationship between biotic and abiotic environment on the one hand and genes and gene functioning on the other.
Core theme is biological variation, both at the phenotypic and the genomic level, in natural environments and ecological relevant settings. Point of departure is the study of processes, not the study of model organisms.
Doelstelling
Het doel van het programma is het bevorderen van vernieuwend en kwalitatief hoogwaardig wetenschappelijk onderzoek op het terrein van Ecogenomicsonderzoek.
Thema's
Het programma ecogenomics kent twee onderzoeksthema’s:
- Adaptation and Environmental Change
- Comparative genomics and evolution
Loopduur
2009-2014
Financiering
NWO-ALW
Budget
Voor het programma Ecogenomics is een budget van 1M€ beschikbaar.