integrative and comparative biology 2009 c. schwenk, d.k. padilla, g.s. bakken, r.j. full
TRANSCRIPT
Integrative and Comparative Biology 2009C. Schwenk, D.K. Padilla, G.S. Bakken, R.J. Full
Organisms are the level ofintegration of biologicalfunction and development
And are integrators of environmental factorsand feedbacks
Organisms are the level ofcreative biodiversity
Since the time of Darwin -recognized as theunits on which naturalselection acts driving evolutionand adaptation
Our list of grand challenges not uniqueand not the only questionsof importance
Focus on Organismal Biology
Distilled from dialog and discussion withmany colleagues in and out of SICB
True collaborative effort
Each grand challenge transcends any singlearea of study - but will depend uponknowledge within most traditionalareas of study
Need integrative and interdisciplanary approaches, thinking and informationnot only within biology, but alsowith other fields
Will require new information, dialogacross traditional disciplines and possible new disciplines
Understanding the organism’s role in organism-environment linkages
Organism-environment feedbacks
Organismal responses to environmental changes including climatic change
Mechanisms of organismal resilience / fragility
Responses at different time scales: behavior, acclimation, plasticity,
adaptation
Understanding how organisms walk the tightrope between stability and change
Paradox of evolutionary integration/stability and adaptation/evolvability
Modular organization and overlapping domains
Inter-modular linkages, robustness and adaptive flexibility
Systems-level behavior of organisms
Integrating living and physical systemsanalysis
Organismal complexity in time and space requires new methods of systems analysis
Application of the theory of mathematical and physical sciences to organismal questions
Application of biological design principles and systems to engineering and computation
Interdisciplinary research and education, e.g., quantitative modeling and robotics
Utilizing the functional diversity of organisms
Organisms successful outcomes of evolutionary testing (solutions to the the problems of life)
Biodiversity as a storehouse of adaptive solutions to environmental and other problems
Improving bioprospecting - integration of phylogenetic and organismal studies
Understanding how genomes produce organisms
Mechanisms of whole-organism development from genes and genomes
Generation and evolution of phenotypic diversityand the links between genotype and phenotype
New diverse ‘model’ species and systems, and approaches/techniques for non-models
What do we need for21st Century Organismal Biology?
What will be essential for us to make progress and
address the Grand Challenges?
Maintain Focus on Organismal Biology
Recognition of and support for importance of Organismal Research addressing all questions
Recognition by Universities and Departments ofthe essential nature of organismal andintegrative research in hiring, retention, and internal support
We need to inform and promote the role and importance of organismal biology to non-organismal biologists, other scientists,and the general public
Train of Students in Organismal Biologyand Integration - who have the skills and framework for addressing GC questionsand working in an interdisciplinary
framework
Rethink our models of training students so they are prepared to take on this challenge
Maintain training in essential organismal biologyand in interdisciplanary biology and thinkingas well as collaboration
Development of new courses, replacement of lost courses and lost organismal expertise
From L. Tomanek Lab
From B. Helmuth Lab
New Tools and Opportunities and Support for Tool Development and Transfer
For many Grand Challenges, advances are stymied due to a lack of tools, or ready availability of tools needed to address essential questions
Robinson et al. 2010, Tools for 21st Century Biology, In Review
Examples and Types of tools:
New model systems and species
Ability to use tools from models onnon-model species and system
Instrumentation that operates at biologically relevant scales for within organism
measurements as well as environmental data collection at biologically
relevant scales in real time
Tools to fully use and mine the massive amounts of data collected - e.g.,genomic, environmental and remotesensing data
Tools to translate genomic data intoinformation useful for
understanding organismal development and function
People tools - scientists trained in fieldsand across fields, and in
collaboration
Tools that will enhance cross- and trans-disciplinary dialog and researchneeded to address the grand challenges
Synthesis/Catalysis type centerPlatform for bringing broad range of scientists together to find common ground,needs and possible existing solutions
Platform/mechanism for facilitating interdisciplinary linkages within biologyand from biology to other fields