Our long-term goal is a better understanding of the functional properties of genes involved in biological processes that control key aspects of complex traits and developmental processes. We study these properties in their systems biological and evolutionary context, and utilize our findings to better understand the underlying systems level mechanisms of complex traits. In turn, we may be able to develop reliable tools aimed at predicting the behavior of complex traits in response to perturbation. The evolutionarycauses and consequences of buffering (and its breakage) will be explored in relation to cancer.