No longer are biologists limited by the ability to collect genetic information, but rather they are limited by the ability to turn this information into discovery. The entire genomic sequence has been completed for a roundworm, numerous microbes, yeast, the fruit fly, humans, mustard weed, and rice.
More species are on the way at an accelerating rate.
These sequences reveal the complete gene repertoire of diverse organisms and provide new insights into organisms as complex systems. However, determining the DNA sequences for a group of organisms is just the first step in understanding the structure and function of genes and genomes. The amount and speed of data acquisition requires computational approaches to gene prediction. Comparisons among different species in the context of a well-resolved evolutionary tree provide essential insights into gene function, into pathways by which genes and genomes evolve, and into mechanisms that shape genetic diversity. This thrust promotes computational, mathematical and statistical research, development and education associated with the development of highly advanced tools for data acquisition and analysis to understand the origins of life and the molecular processes that underlie both the unity and the diversity of life.