Bioinformatics at the John Innes Centre <B>Bioinformatics at the John Innes Centre</B><P> </B><EM><B></B></EM><B>Jo Dicks, Matthew Couchman, Mazda Hewitt, Andrew O'Malia and Jeremy Dickson</B><BR> John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK<B></B><P> A programme in bioinformatics has recently been initiated at the John Innes Centre (JIC), a world leader in the biology of plant species. Currently, the main thrust of the group is in comparative genome analysis. Our work ranges from mathematical biology through to the development of databases and novel graphical software components.<BR> One of our major projects is the UK CropNet (http://synteny.nott.ac.uk). This bioinformatics network comprises six groups from UK crop research centres and has been established as part of the BBSRC's Plant and Animal Genome Analysis special initiative. Its work relates to the development, management and distribution of information relating to comparative mapping. At JIC we are working on the interlinking of multiple databases over the World Wide Web and novel ways in which to display comparative genome data.<BR> A new initiative in the mathematical modelling of chromosomal evolution in plants is now starting. In order for algorithms and results of analyses to be fully publicly available, we will be building a series of components to display and manipulate phylogenetic data. In addition, we will shortly become involved in a project relating to the evolution of viral vectors and consequently the development of displays for phylogeographic information.<P>