Bridging the gap: disclosure, understanding and exploitation of the genotype-phenotype map

Genetics is defined as the science of genes, heredity, and the variation of organisms. To really understand the variation of organisms as a function of genes and environment in a mechanistic sense is a tremendous challenge. But this is where we have to go if we aim for a future genetics theory that bridges the genotype-phenotype gap by causal explanatory models. The impact of such a mature genetics theory on production biology, evolutionary biology and biomedicine can hardly be overstated. The establishme nt of such a theory will of necessity have to involve extensive use of mathematics, statistics, informatics and biological physics guided by biological data in the wide sense, and it will have to involve very advanced eInfrastructures. We aim to become an internationally visible node in this theory development. This eVITA proposal seeks support for development of three thematically highly interconnected interdisciplinary work packages, (1) Computational environment for detection of potentially causative g enes underlying complex traits, (2) Bridging the genotype-advanced synthetic phenotype gap, and (3) Pioneer the establishment and exploitation of the genotype-phenotype map in yeast as a model system for genetics theory development. All work packages rela te to the scientific and industrial goal of making a causal bridge between genotype and phenotype space, they involve development of new theory, models and methods, and they will guide the development of an eInfrastructure customized to meet the demands o f advanced systems biology research. The project addresses issues of specific interest to the Norwegian biobank-possessing production biology companies Norsvin, Geno and AquaGen. It involves close multidisciplinary collaboration with leading international groups in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden and USA, and University of Oslo's Centre for information technology (USIT) as well as its CoE Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis.