DNA DISCOVERY
The sequencing and annotation of the human genomics is
in its first phase. This
mammoth effort, however, will merely provide a baseline for the thousands of
minor variations in DNA composition (polymorphisms) that confer major
individual differences in a person’s susceptibility to disease. Examples of
common polymorphisms associated with an increased risk of disease include the
ApoE4 allele and Alzheimer disease and the APC I1307K allele and colon cancer.
DNA sequence analysis is one means to get at these differences, but a far more
efficient and powerful approach is the use of identified single nucleotide
polymorphisms (SNPs).These SNPs, which
occur at an estimated rate of 1 in every 1,000 base pairs of DNA, are becoming
an important tool for scanning the genome in pedigree-based linkage analysis,
for mapping the genetics of disease in individuals in the population using
association methods, and for directly identifying polymorphisms that contribute
to a particular phenotype/disease. Thus, SNPs will be particularly important
for mapping and discovering the genes associated with common diseases.
The CGB will recruit at least 2 molecular
geneticists and/or genetic epidemiologists to establish a core facility to support
sequence- and SNP-based analysis of the genome to enable researchers in the
basic and clinical sciences to determine the role of genetic alterations in
health and disease.
Hardware
Recent Pubs
PubMed search for Dr. Weikuan Gu
PubMed search for Dr. Robyn Wallace
PubMed search for Dr. Ronald M. Adkins
Update
- Dr. Weikuan Gu joined the UTHSC Faculty as Director of the DNA
Discovery Core facility on April 1, 2002.
- Dr. Robyn Wallace joined the UTHSC Faculty in the DNA Discovery Core
facility on April 1, 2002
- Dr. Ronald M. Adkins joined the UTHSC Faculty in
Dept. of Pediatircs as well as the DNA Discovery Core facility on September 2,
2002.
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