Biology of Genomes

The Research Focus "Biology of Genomes" addresses current issues of genomic research and its various implications for society. In recent years biological research has entered the postgenomic era.

The Human Genome sequencing project was a major conceptual breakthrough and paved the way for genomic work in many other fields. It also led to new technologies that have reduced the costs of DNA sequencing more than 50 000-fold in the last ten years. For biology the possibility to sequence genomes for essentially every species allows unprecedented ways to explore the evolution of life and human health.

These developments are currently revolutionizing biological and medical research and will lead to applications with great impact on individuals and societies. While their existential and ethical consequences for the individual and society will be dramatic, these are by no means being sufficiently discussed. The CAS Research Focus "Biology of Genomes" addresses these issues and explores how this field is transforming biology and society under the conditions of our so-called 'postgenomic era'.

Spokesperson

• Prof. Dr. Martin Parniske
  (Faculty of Biology, Genetics, LMU)

Research Focus Group

• Prof. Dr. Peter Becker
  (Biomedical Center Munich, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Monika Betzler
  (Faculty of Philosophy, Practical Philosophy and Ethics, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Francesca Biagini
  (Institute of Mathematics, LMU)
• Dr. Andreas Brachmann
  (Faculty of Biology, Genetics, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Barbara Conradt
  (Faculty of Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Enard
  (Faculty of Biology, Graduate School Life Science, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Peter Falkai
  (Clinic for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Nicolas Gompel
  (Faculty of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology, LMU)
• Dr. Alexander Kohlmaier
  (Faculty of Biology, Genetics, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Thomas Meitinger
  (Institute of Human Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München)
• Dr. Klaus F. X. Mayer
  (Plant Genome and Systems Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München)
• Prof. Dr. Kärin Nickelsen
  (Institute of History, History of Science, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Susanne Renner
  (Faculty of Biology, Systematic Botany and Mycology, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Thomas G. Schulze
  (Institute of Psychiatric Phenomics and Genomics, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Claus Schwechheimer
  (Plant Systems Biology, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan)

Visiting Fellows

• Yamini Dalal, Ph.D.
  (Bethesda, USA)
• Prof. Dr. Silke Robatzek
  (Norwich, England)

Events

• Lecture by Prof. Dr. Maria Kronfeldner – "The Nature/Culture Divide in the Postgenomic Era"
  (Summer Semester 2016)
• Lecture by Prof. Dr. Bärbel Friedrich and Dr. Patrick Hsu – "Editing the Human Genome with CRISPR? Chances and Risks of a Groundbreaking-Method"
  (Summer Semester 2016)
• Panel Discussion – "Perspektiven der Synthetischen Biologie für die Biotechnologie und Medizin"
  (PDF 75 KByte)
  (Winter Semester 2016/17)
• International Workshop – "Many Methods – One Biology?"
  (Winter Semester 2016/17)
• Internationaler Workshop – "Evolution of Regulatory Networks"
  (Summer Semester 2017)
• Vortrag von Yamini Dalal, Ph.D. – "Twisting the Dragon's Tail: A Voyage into Uncharted Histone Territories"
  (Summer Semester 2017)
• Internationaler Workshop – "Evolution of Biological Traits"
  (Summer Semester 2017)
• Lecture by Prof. Dr. Silke Robatzek – "Cellular Basis of Immunity"
  (Winter Semester 2017/18)
• Lecture by Prof. Dr. Dietram Scheufele – "Human Genome Editing: Who Gets to Decide?"
  (Winter Semester 2017/18)
• Panel Discussion – "Die Pocken sind zurück - Lassen sich die Risiken von synthetisierten Virenstämmen kontrollieren?"
  (Winter Semester 2017/18)
• Panel Discussion – "Der gläserne Mensch: Versprechen und Risiko der Genomsequenzierung"
  (Winter Semester 2017/18)