Untitled - The Future Ocean

surveying expression in marine organisms. (iii) Cell-based assays for functional characterizationand pathway mapping, including a core platform for automated cell-based assays for up to 75.000parallel experimental conditions (e.g. genome-wide siRNA approaches). This platform presentlycollaborates with cell biology groups focused on inflammation pathway research, alternativesplicing (Hiller et al. 2004) and on the elucidation of developmental and innate immune processesin cnidarians and urochordates (Wittlieb et al. 2006). (iv) A platform for proteome analysis iscurrently under construction and is strengthened by the integration of proteome-driven researchagendas from the Institute of Botany. (v) A population-representative DNA biobank (PopGen), withmore than 50,000 DNA samples from disease cohorts and population controls from northernSchleswig-Holstein, uses a LIMS system and an integrated database which supports GLPstandards in most parts of the operation and provides automated analysis procedures for efficientdata handling.As a result of their versatility and standardization, the platforms of the P3 project, whichare now primarily used for the systematic analysis of biological processes in humans,plants and freshwater animals, will be adapted to the needs of the Cluster projects. Thiswill permit a further understanding of the genomic biology of marine organisms and willalso address questions regarding diversity in populations.Schematic structure of the Cluster platform103