The Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG) uses tools developed in the field of genomics to study the structure and function of genes in plant and animal species of interest to the food and agriculture sectors. The aim is to increase knowledge in these areas and identify applications that meet the needs of the agricultural and livestock sectors, such as the development of molecular markers that can be used to improve species’ genetic make-up, working in conjunction with business.
The CRAG brings together the work of four separate institutions: the Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC), the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the University of Barcelona (UB). This cooperation focuses on three main lines of research: molecular genetics; plant and animal genetics; and investigating the applications of genomics in agriculture and livestock.