Despite over 200 years of scientific inquiry, fundamental questions in biological evolution remain unanswered. How does speciation happen? How do genomic and environmental factors shape the input of new mutational variation into the evolutionary process? To answer these and other major questions requires synthesizing knowledge about genomic sequences, gene expression, ecology, evolutionary history, and population-genetic processes of phylogenetically diverse organisms. This knowledge base is so broad that achieving synthesis requires the combined efforts of scientists from a wide array of disciplines equipped with cutting-edge information management and analysis tools. The primary mission of the Center for Synthesis in Biological Evolution (CSBE) is to facilitate synthesis in biological evolution by bringing together researchers and educators, extant data and information technology resources.
To achieve its goals, CSBE will develop new tools and cross-disciplinary standards for management of biological information and meta-information, support data analysis capabilities with broad utility, and host and curate databases. CSBE will also support education and outreach activities to enhance public understanding of the science of biological evolution; foster interactions between evolutionary biologists, industry and non-governmental organizations; and enhance the participation of members of underrepresented groups in the study of evolution. The Center for Synthesis in Biological Evolution (CSBE) will thus serve as a national focus for research, education and outreach.
