There is no doubting that this is an exciting time for Medical Science. The recent identification of all the human genes (human genome project) has in Dr. Francis Collins' words brought us to "The end of the beginning". Forthcoming is an entirely new discipline that is now just taking form that centers on understanding biological complexities of genes/proteins in the context of the whole organism: Integrative Genomics.

Specifically, the discovery of the more than tens of thousands of new genes and protein products resulting from completion of the human genome project clearly offers enormous research opportunities and challenges. There is growing sentiment that the next frontier of science will center on difficult integrative questions of how these myriad genes and protein products interact together in complex biological systems. Dr. Lee Hood has stated that the, "The future (of biology) will be the study of genes and proteins of organism in the context of their informational pathways or networks" (Nature, 2000). This point, together with the current availability of molecular tools to genetically engineer animals, offers unique opportunities to investigate the function of newly discovered gene products in the context of complex systems. With the door now opening to these extraordinary opportunities this Center focuses on the emerging new discipline of: Integrative Genomics: the study of complex interactions between genes, organism and environment, the triple helix of biology.

Integrative Genomics focuses on understanding the complex and adaptive interactions in animals due to genetic variables, including gender, gene mutations and organism genetic background especially as related to modifier genes, biological variables, including issues relating to aging, reproductive status for example, and environmental variables, including as examples, nutrition, exercise, stress, and pathogens. It is the study of the inherent complexities of genes, biology, and environment in animals that forms the unique underpinnings of the emerging field of Integrative Genomics.

The long-term goal of the Center is to nurture the development of integrative sciences, and to position this institution at the leading edge of this new era of biomedical research. The expectation is that the alliances forged within the Center will translate into new programmatic and research initiatives in the form of new R01s, Program Projects and Center grants.