Next Steps for Functional Genomics: A Workshop

该奖项旨在支持由美国国家科学院召集的研讨会，讨论促进功能基因组学研究的目标、策略和技术需求，这些研究将有助于基础知识的进步，并将其转化为有益于社会的应用，例如，保护、进化研究、农业、能源、国防、人类健康和其他部门。讲习班借鉴了这一领域和其他领域专家的信息和想法。讲习班的参与者主要代表生物科学，还有来自与基因组相关的环境科学、生物信息学和数据科学以及其他相关领域的额外投入。该研讨会将阐述目前的科学状况、迄今已吸取的经验教训、进一步取得进展的障碍以及额外投资可以帮助推动该领域向前发展的领域。讲习班的介绍和讨论将根据国家科学院的指导方针，由报告员撰写的会议记录报告中记录下来。自2001年人类基因组初稿发布以来，来自生命之树所有分支的数百种生物体的基因组已被测序。这些基因序列的可用性，以及各种新技术，提供了在全基因组水平上研究基因、转录本、蛋白质及其相互作用的能力。尽管这些基因组信息具有很大的价值，但迄今为止，还没有广泛的系统的努力来理解已经产生的许多序列中基因的功能。因此，基因序列在基础科学、保护、进化研究、农业、能源、国防、人类健康和其他部门的应用价值尚未实现。这个项目代表了在建立理解基因功能的新方法的方向上迈出的一步。研讨会将促进高层讨论，以确定NSF可以支持哪些额外研究的新想法，以解决功能基因组学的科学未知数，并开发所需的工具和基础设施，以更好地将基因发现与基因功能的理解联系起来。挑战和机遇是什么，推进科学的下一步是什么？从基因型预测表型的能力能否在生物系统特征的一系列原则中找到共同点？这些都是生命科学未来最重要的问题之一。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is to support a workshop convened by the National Academy of Sciences to discuss goals, strategies, and technical needs to facilitate research in functional genomics that will contribute to the advancement of basic knowledge and its translation into applications that would benefit society, e.g., conservation, evolutionary studies, agriculture, energy, defense, human health, and other sectors. The workshop draws on information and ideas from experts in this field and others. Workshop participants represent, primarily, the biological sciences, with additional input from genomically-relevant environmental sciences, bioinformatics and data science, and other pertinent communities. The workshop will delineate the current state of the science, what lessons have been learned thus far, what impediments there are to further progress, and areas where additional investments could help move the field forward. The workshop presentations and discussions will be documented in a proceedings report authored by rapporteur(s) in accordance with National Academies guidelines.Since the release of the first draft of the human genome in 2001, the genomes of hundreds of organisms from all branches of the tree of life have been sequenced. The availability of these gene sequences, as well as a variety of new technologies, provide the ability to study genes, transcripts, proteins, and their interactions on a genome-wide level. Although this genomic information is of great value, there has been no broad systematic effort to understand the function of genes in the many sequences that have been generated as yet. Thus, the value of the gene sequences for application to basic science, conservation, evolutionary studies, agriculture, energy, defense, human health, and other sectors has not yet been realized. This project represents a step in the direction of establishing new approaches to understanding gene function. The workshop will foster a high-level discussion to identify new ideas on what additional research NSF can support to tackle the scientific unknowns of functional genomics and develop the needed tools and infrastructure to better connect gene discovery to an understanding of gene function. What are the challenges and opportunities and what are the next steps to advance the science? Could the ability to predict phenotypes from genotypes find common ground around a set of principles that characterize biological systems? These are among the most significant questions for the future of the life sciences.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.