Germany's DFG Cites Need For National Genome Plan

BONN, Germany--The Deuts-che Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Germany's central public funding organization for academic research, has recommended that the country institute a national genome initiative that would include funding for bioinformatics technology development. In a report entitled "Perspectives on Genome Research," the body urged the government to boost current plant, microorganism, and human genomics research funding levels by DM1 billion in the next five years. DM100 million should be committed over five years to bioinformatics and technology development and for the establishment of courses to train bioinformatics personnel, DFG added.