The functional genomics group has the tools in hand for large scale gene function analyses. They have the capacities that enable large scale recombinational cloning projects, and are being regarded as reference laboratory for the design, construction and dissemination of a wide range of vectors compatible with the Gateway cloning technology and designed for plant functional assays. As alternative to transgenics, the group is developing automated functional screens based on plant cultured cells.

The functional proteomics group is pioneering in the analysis of interactomes in plants. A group of 10 people works in the research field of protein interactomics in relation to growth and secondary metabolism, revealing novel proteins involved in these processes which are candidate factors for growth stimulation or regulation of secondary metabolism.

With the compound screening platform, we are able to perform high-throughput compound screenings. The strategy is to analyze the effect of the compounds on expression of a gene-of-interest in a promoter-GUS transgenic line, in which the expression of that particular gene is the reporter for a certain biological process. In essence, the effect of the compounds can be analyzed on the expression of any gene (and consequently on any biological process) by this approach. The platform has successfully identified compounds activating and inhibiting lateral root development, activating brassinosteroid signalling and growth, inhibiting metacaspases, and inhibiting growth of Candida albicans.