Computational biology is an interdisciplinary area which applies and integrates the most advanced computational techniques, as bioinformatics, computational modelling, computational biochemistry and genomics, and systems biology. These scientific competences and approaches are necessary today for studying the complexities of biological processes and the interaction between organisms and the environment, which is investigated using technologies with high or very high data generation capacities (“omics”).

Such a platform is considered necessary to allow modern instruments, suitable for reducing the complexity of the information obtained and for transforming it into knowledge, to be developed and disseminated within the research programmes. Specific competences within the field are dedicated to the development of sectors such genomics and metabolomics of fruit plants, nutrigenomics, metagenomics, studies in molecular biodiversity, ecogenomics, phylogenesis and the characterisation of germoplasm in the areas of agriculture, forestry and environmental studies.

The methodological approaches developed will, in addition to serving activities supporting these sectors, also serve to pursue research goals in the field of systems biology. The profile of this Platform is to be considered in terms of constant evolution in that it will comprise research and support groups (or these will be transferred to it) according to the specific requirements of research leaders.

 Head of the department: Duccio Cavalieri