A centre of agrobiology and molecular genetics (100 scientific and technical workers, 25 PhD students). Research in genetics, genomics, cytogenetics, biotechnology, biometry and bioinformatics, on crop and model plants. Training of young scientists. IPG-PAS coordinates POLAPGEN consortium (www.polapgen.pl) comprising ten Polish scientific and two industrial partners, devoted to joint research and technological development in the area of genetics and genomics.

The Laboratory of Biometry (head P. Krajewski): conducts research in the area of statistical and bioinformatic methods applicable in the analysis of results of biological experiments, with the special stress on genetic and genomic research and on plant breeding. The most important statistical methodologies which are used are linear mixed models and multivariate methods. Among bioinformatic methods are: biological database exploration, profile sequence analysis, analysis of biomolecule interactions, homology and ab initio modelling of biomolecule structure. The results are applied in: planning and analysis of genetic and breeding field trials and laboratory experiments, statistical analysis of genotype x environment interactions, gene expression analysis, analysis of next-generation sequencing data and protein structure as well as phylogeny reconstruction. Experience in software development for plant researchers and breeders. Use of statistical software (Genstat) and general computing (R, Python) both on PCs and Linux clusters. The group cooperates with numerous plant research and breeding units. Current staff: two senior scientists, two post-docs, two PhD fellows, two project administration.

Some recent research projects:
RTN TRANSISTOR "Trans-Cis elements regulating key switches in plant development", 2005-2009, ITN SYSFLO "Training in systems biology applied to flowering", 2009-2013, www.sysflo.eu, Cost Action TD0801 StatSeq "Statistical challenges on the 1000€ genome sequences in plants", 2009-2013, POLAPGEN-BD "Biotechnological tools for breeding cereals with increased resistance to drought", 2010-2014 www.polapgen.pl.

Selected Publications:
Koczyk G., Berezovsky I.N. (2008). Domain Hierarchy and closed Loops (DHcL): a server for exploring hierarchy of protein domain structure. Nucleic Acids Research 36: W239-W245.
Pea G. et al. (2008). Gene expression non-additivity in immature ears of a heterotic F1 maize hybrid. Plant Science 174: 17-24.
Marino R. et al. Sari-Gorla M. (2008). Addressing drought tolerance in maize by transcriptional profiling and mapping. Mol. Genet. Genomics 281: 163-179.
Muth D. Et al. (2009). Differential metabolic response of narrow leafed lupine (Lupinus angustifolius) leaves to infection with Colletotrichum lupin. Metabolomics 5: 354–362.
Kaufmann K. et al. Angenent G.C. (2009). Target genes of the MADS transcription factor SEPALLATA3: Integration of developmental and hormonal pathways in the Arabidopsis flower. PLOS Biology 7 (4): e1000090.
Calioski T. et al. (2009). Analyzing the genotype-by-environment interactions under a randomization-derived mixed model. Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics 14: 224-241.
Kaufmann K. et al. (2010). Orchestration of floral initiation by APETALA1. Science 328: 85-89.