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Title: Application of Bioinformatics in Plant Genome and Post-Genome Research
P8
Altschmied, Lothar; Hege, Hans-Christian; Paul, Rolf; Posch, Stefan; Scheel, Dierk

lothar@ipk-gatersleben.de
Institut für Pflanzengenetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung (IPK), Corrensstr. 3, D-06466 Gatersleben, Germany

The Bioinformatics Centre Gatersleben-Halle is one of six centers of competence funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Its aim is to establish research and education in bioinformatics at an internationally competitive level with special emphasis on the application of new bioinformatic tools in genome and post-genome research on plants. For that purpose the institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), the Institute of Plant Biochemistry (IPB), Halle, the B.I.M.-Consulting GmbH, Magdeburg and the Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum (ZIB), Berlin joined forces to combine their competence in bioinformatics, research and education. Together with some associated partners, such as the Kleinwanzlebener Saatzucht (KWS), Einbeck and TraitGenetics, Gatersleben, the consortium focusses on two main goals. First, to create new and innovative bioinformatic tools which will allow the efficient extraction of relevant information from large datasets created in genome and post-genome research. Second, to provide application-oriented education in bioinformatics.

To create new and innovative bioinformatic tools, five research groups are currently established which will complement ongoing scientific projects at the IPK, IPB and MLU. Two research groups, one at the MLU and another one at the IPB will focus on the improvement of data processing and evaluation from microarray experiments and mass spectrometry on proteins and metabolites. Three research groups will be established at the IPK. Research of one group will be directed towards the modelling and simulation of metabolic and regulatory networks in plants. A second group, together with researchers from the ZIB in Berlin will focus on high-throughput processing of pictures with respect to automatic object recognition and classification for applications in visual screening procedures and 3D-model building. The third research group will establish a Plant Data Warehouse to integrate heterogeneous types of data from many different information sources in collaboration with a highly competent industrial partner, namely the B.I.M.-Consulting in Magdeburg.

With respect to education in bioinformatics the consortium has created, parallel to the already existing course of bioinformatics at the MLU leading to a diploma degree, a new course which is open to students with a diploma degree in biology, chemistry, pharmacy and related disciplines. Within 1,5 - 2 years this course will lead to a Masters degree in bioinformatics. Theoretical foundations in informatics and practical aspects of the newest techniques in genome and post-genome research have been combined to provide a modern application-oriented curriculum.