Meeting Announcement and Description (see below and our web page=20 http://genomes.tamu.edu/) Sept. 1 is the cut off date for registrations for the meeting entitled:=20= "Livestock genomes: sequence annotation and informatics challenges". =20 Please e-mail your details prior to Sept. 1. Registration: US$50.00, payable by US$ check or cash. This grants you=20= access to the sessions, and for the first 150 registrants, lodging and=20= meals at the Del Lago Resort. Registrants are expected to pay their=20 own travel, but it may be possible to reimburse some travel costs,=20 depending on final funding support for the meeting.=A0 Program Information:=A0Dave Adelson=A0(david.adelson@tamu.edu)=A0Ph: + 1 = 979=20 845 2616 FAX: +1 979 845 6970.=A0 Registration:=A0Carla Dileo=A0(carla-dileo@ansc.tamu.edu)Ph: +1 979 845=20= 2616 FAX: +1 979 845 6970. =A0 see our website: http://genomes.tamu.edu for updated list of speakers=20= and program. =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Meeting Announcement and Description (see our web page=20 http://genomes.tamu.edu/) Texas A&M University and Baylor College of Medicine wish to announce a=20= symposium titled =93Livestock genomes: sequence annotation and=20 informatics challenges=94 for dialog between the livestock research=20 community, publicly funded genome project researchers, livestock=20 industry representatives and public funding bodies to discuss livestock=20= genome sequencing projects and annotation strategies for livestock=20 genomes.=A0The symposium will be held at the Del Lago Resort and=20 Conference Center on Lake Conroe, between College Station and Houston=20 Texas, October 5-7, 2003.=A0We expect to have room for 150 participants. The human genome has been completely sequenced, ushering out the era of=20= the Human Genome Project and ushering in the era of comparative genome=20= analysis.=A0While the mouse and rat genomes have been sequenced and are=20= providing a wealth of biological data, to date, no genome of an=20 agricultural organism of major importance has been sequenced.=A0This=20 situation is about to change, with the upcoming sequencing of the=20 chicken and bovine genomes and of other smaller animal genomes of=20 economic importance, such as the honeybee.=A0The expectation of taking=20= full advantage of genome data by integrating it into organismal biology=20= is a big challenge for agricultural and other life scientists.=A0This=20 challenge has to be met at several levels: the research community needs=20= to learn from human and rodent genome researchers in order to adopt=20 genome data and curate it, industry needs to understand the potential=20 applications and eventual outcomes that will stem from genome data, and=20= funding bodies must commit appropriate resources for data warehousing=20 and data analysis. The symposium, which will include a mixture of formal presentations and=20= workshops.=A0Participants will include genome researchers from around = the=20 world, funding agency administrators and livestock industry=20 stakeholders. The timing of the meeting is shortly after the USDA=20 budget announcement and NIH decisions on the future of genome=20 sequencing centers.=A0With these funding decisions known, this symposium=20= will provide the venue for useful discussions between researchers,=20 funding bodies and industry stakeholders.=A0Furthermore, this meeting=20 will provide an exciting opportunity for livestock genome researchers=20 and human and model organism genome researchers to interact and build=20 mutually beneficial collaborations. PLEASE FORWARD THIS ANNOUNCEMENT TO ANY OTHERS YOU THINK MIGHT BE=20 INTERESTED IN ATTENDING.=09