The two-day meeting in Braunschweig has clearly demonstrated the great value of mouse GRPs in identifying genetic determinants of complex genetic traits for various phenotypic traits related to diseases in humans. The partners of the network collectively have great expertise in disease phenotyping and analysis of genetic reference populations. Several examples that illustrated the translation of the knowledge gained in the mouse experimental systems to humans were presented. Links to clinical researchers already exist at several places but will have to be further expanded in the future. Furthermore, mouse GRPs can be ideally combined with mouse mutant lines carrying a gene-knockout mutation to determine the effect of a strong genetic defect in combination with modifier genes. It also became clear that a strong and sustained financial investment in mouse breeding and phenotyping facilities as well as in bioinformatic infrastructure is urgently needed to further advance a systems genetics approach in Europe.