Gramene Announces Scholarships for Groups Underrepresented in Science to Learn How to Use Bioinformatics and Genomics …

Gramene Announces Scholarships for Groups Underrepresented in Science to Learn How to Use Bioinformatics and Genomics …
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Oregon State University and Cornell University, creators of the Gramene Resource for Comparative Plant Genomics, partner with OpenHelix to offer online training on genomic resources to encourage diversity in science.

Read more on PRWeb via Yahoo! News

Bioinformatics Shared Resource Manager at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (Cold Spring Harbor, NY)

Title: Bioinformatics Shared Resource Manager Profession: Education/Training/Information -> Higher Education – … biologist to lead its Bioinformatics Shared Resource. The Bioinformatics Shared Resource interacts with CSHL…

View full post on Bioinformatics jobs | Simply Hired

Cited for two of the ‘best conferences’ in genome biology, CSHL gears up for 2nd annual Personal Genomes meeting

For decades, scientific meetings at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ( CSHL ) have been held in great esteem by scientists for their role in shaping the agenda of molecular biology. Their reputation for relevance continues, as evidenced by results of a survey of nearly 1,000 attendees of biology meetings over the last year. Published in the September issue of Genome Technology magazine, the survey identified two CSHL conferences in genomics as the best in their categories.

Based upon a variety of criteria such as quality of speakers, presentation of new data and scientific results, networking opportunities, quality of posters, and overall “bang-for-the- buck” impact, CSHL’s “Biology of Genomes” meeting held annually in early May was a standout winner, ranked as the “most recommended” among general genomics meetings. A second CSHL meeting, “Genome Informatics,” held at the end of each October, was the “most recommended” in the Bioinformatics/Information Technology category.

Excitement about 2nd ‘Personal Genomes’ meeting

These results were announced as preparations reached their final stages for another genomics-related meeting at CSHL. From the 14th to the 17th of September, the Laboratory will host the second annual “Personal Genomes” meeting, which, according to its organizers, will build upon the excitement generated at the inaugural meeting last October.

An editorial in the journal Nature appearing just after that gathering disbanded, late last October, confessed to initial skepticism about whether such a meeting was justified in view of the newness of the field and the paucity of results to date – at the time, the full genomes of only four people had been completed and made public. But, Nature assured readers after its reporter attended the meeting, participants came to understand that in fact the meeting was overdue, if for no other reason than the fact that “increasingly, private companies are offering personal genome scans and genetic tests for sale – and consumers are buying them.”

As Nature opined, reflecting the view of many at the Personal Genomes meeting, “scientists can and should help the public sift through” newly available ( and often quite fragmentary ) genomic information generated for sale by a growing number of start-ups. At the second Personal Genomes gathering, which begins this evening and continues until Thursday, it is almost certain that participants will discuss these commercial developments, the pace of which has only accelerated in the interim.

About the ‘Personal Genomes’ Meeting

About 200 participants are expected to attend the four day-long “Personal Genomes” meeting, which has been organized by a renowned team of scientists, including Dr. George Church from Harvard University, and Dr. Elaine Mardis from Washington University, among others. The meeting will open with introductory remarks by CSHL’s Dr. James Watson, whose own genome was the first to become publicly available, making him the subject of last year’s inaugural meeting.

Dr. Church, a genetics pioneer whose work integrates biosystems-modeling with synthetic biology and personal genomics, will give an overview of the field’s status in available technology and its current applications. Other notable technology-oriented speakers include Dr. Jonathan Rothberg from Ion Torrent Systems, Inc., and Dr. Steven Turner of Pacific Biosciences, who will discuss “third-generation” sequencing platforms that will soon enter the marketplace.

Many genomics scientists working on cancer are trying to unlock the mystery of cancer’s molecular origins and make-up. Molecularly speaking, cancer is not a single disease. Two patients with lung cancer, for example, might have very different diseases stemming from different mutations, and so might not respond the same way to a drug. Dr. Mardis, who is the co-director of Washington University’s Genome Sequencing Center, will present on her group’s efforts to catalogue all mutations in a quartet of breast cancer patients.

The keynote speech on Tuesday will be given by Dr. Thomas Caskey of University of Texas Health Science Center. “Dr. Caskey was one of the early planners of the Human Genome Project,” explains Dr. Mardis. “Now that we are at a stage when genomes are being sequenced in weeks and for medical purposes such as understanding disease causation, his talk will offer a very unique perspective on the past and the future of personal genomes.”

The line-up of speakers includes other preeminent scientists in the field such as Dr. Richard Gibbs, Director of the Human Genome Sequencing Center at the Baylor College of Medicine who will describe his group’s work on sequencing genomes of patients with disease caused by defects in single genes; Dr. Steven Brenner, of UC, Berkeley, who is developing a public database of human genetic variation and its effect, drawing from databases, diagnostic laboratories, and the scientific literature to interpret human genomics data; and many others. A session on the ethical challenges presented by personal genomes will feature a panel of scientists, ethicists and science writers.

“Fostering this type of cross-disciplinary discussion and debate is one of the strengths of CSHL’s meetings program,” says David Stewart, Executive Director of Meetings and Courses at CSHL. “This is where different fields are brought together and driven forward.” The results of Genome Technology’s survey would seem to bear him out.

For more information on attending the conference or to find out about meetings topics and talks for potential news stories, please contact Peter Tarr ( tarr@cshl.edu ) or Hema Bashyam ( bashyam@cshl.edu ) at CSHL’s Public Affairs office ( 516-367-8455 516-367-8455 ).

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory ( CSHL ) is a private, not-for-profit research and education institution at the forefront of efforts in molecular biology and genetics to generate knowledge that will yield better diagnostics and treatments for cancer, neurological diseases and other major causes of human suffering. For more information, visit www.cshl.edu.

Bioinformatics, Bio-medicine and Gene Manipulation in Drug Development and Future Medical Care

BIOINFORMATICS, BIO – MEDICINE, AND GENE MANIPULATIONS IN DRUG DEVELOPMENT AND FUTURE MEDICAL CARE.

Dr.T.V.Rao, MD

Bioinformatics is an emerging science which brings together the fields of Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Bio Technology and Genetics under the fold of computers and Software Advances in Computer Technology. Thanks to James Watson – Crick in basic understanding of the Bacterial DNA (genome). The coding of Chromosomes through the Super Computers; Databases and Software Technology perfecting the code of life, now Bioinformatics has become a big enterprise. Research reports, from all round the world (300 Laboratories) presented recently during a major genome conference at Cold spring harbor laboratory showed clearly that an exciting technology is born. We doctors in the past looking the problems of life and disease through clinical medicine, few laboratory tests and other technical advances. The Bioinformatics is changing the entire concept, in future we may be compelled to view life and disease through the Chemistry of Genes. The facts about the human genome project were made public on the Internet by US department of energy and National Institute of Health, making the approach easier to any scientist or Doctor to learn the genomic science to utmost detail.
1. Basic findings of Genome Project: a) Basis of life is equal between two individuals upto 99.9% extent, secret of difference lies in only 0.1%, contributing to our individuality. b) There are approximately 30,000 Genes. c) Genetic Mutations are common in males, so men are agents of change. d) so Genetic diseases are common in men.
2. Computer Speaks (Bio information): With feeding of complicated information to a computer, it speaks that life is a pack of information with a clear message that book of the life written in the complex DNA consisting of four letters. A.T.G.C.
A = Adenine; T =Thymine; G = Guanine; C = Cytosine.
At present we have > 85% of information on 23 pairs of Human Chromosomes. In future science expects that Physician can solve many mysteries of disease just looking into a computer and the greatest advantage lies in detection of most of the Genetic disorders. In future many diagnostic tests may be done by Bioinformed computers, the chip locating abnormal base pairs at different gene locations. Now in many Nations scientific organizations of repute are on a path to Bioinformatics with aim to make the recent science available to many.
3. Bioinformatics and Gene Therapy: Gene therapy suffered with many problems in the past will have a greater revival with better understanding of human genome. Many gene therapy trails will become virtual realities.
4. Bioinformatics and Proteomics: The knowledge of information about the Genes and Science of Genomics lead to science of proteomics To catalogue and analyse every protein in human system. The science of proteomics (Structural Genomics) will revolutionise the understanding of Hormones, Immunoglobulins targeting infections and Enzymes that build or break down energy reserves. We are aware now, that there are too, many proteins which guide our life (50,000 to about 2 millions). But few Proteins play the real orchestra, modifying different actions. Already many Bio Technology firms have started proteomics programme, if the events succeed to desired expectations there will be better quality of life serving to minute details.
5. Human Genome Project – Drugs of Future: At present we use certain drugs with a broad understanding to target only 500 proteins in the body, out of the 30,000 proteins already known to us. Because of the better understanding of Genome, Scientists have a good understanding on what happens if drug acting down to molecular level. Till now many drugs are experimented on trial and error basis mainly intervening at the level of signs and symptoms, and few at cellular levels.

With advances in Genomic Medicine there will be more rational approach in drug discovery and clinical application. In future it is possible to target the diseases like Diabetes and Cancer before the onset of physical disease (phenotypic expression). The scientific visions include interfering with the sick cell, sparing the healthy cells, making the therapy least toxic and harmful. The discovery in this direction lead to discovery of Monoclonal antibodies, choosing the particular receptor on the cancer cell responsible for propagation of disease. Already 12 such drugs are available in developed countries prominent being Herceptin, if blocks the HE-2/neu receptor, which is prominent on some breast cancer cells. Tepper’s group is on the way to find a Monoclonal which can block the common receptor for cancers like breast, prostate, lung and colon to create a super drug for many cancers. With better understanding on Bioinformatics Anti Cancer Drug discoveries will be target oriented with least toxic effects.
6. Genomic Based Drug Discovery: Alfred Gilman, a pharmacologist and winner of 1994 noble prize for his work on Cellular Signaling Mechanism, is now working with goal to trace the map of chemical pathways in the cells and use the knowledge to create virtual cell with all the pathways in a computer. Now the drug companies are using the Bioinformatics algorithms to predict the functions of proteins encoded by newly discovered genes. Many drugs discovers are moving to fast growing new area of Computer Science to fuel their endless quest for newer drugs and better targets.
7. Major Diseases on the List of Pharmaceutical Industry

The following diseases are being targeted by many drug firms with Bioinformatics include: AIDS, Mental Illnesses, Auto Immune Disease, Obesity, Alzheimer ’s disease, Heart Disease and Parkinson’s Disease.
From Experiments to Reality
The sequence of events from Discovery of Noble Laureate Joshua Lederberg (1958) on exchange of DNA within such chromosome pairs leads to process of homology recombination expressing in Genetic variation in the population. The present events of discovery by Mario Capecchi and Oliver Smithies applied the homology recombination in mammalian cell. The homologues recombination could take place between introduced DNA the cell Chromosome may even repair with the help of induced genes and awarded the Nobel Prize in 2007. The present study by them has targeted role of Genes involved in Mammalian organ development. Several human inborn errors an be targeted in events of malformation. If the future experiments are successful mouse models will be used for gene targeting The art of Medicine will be enriched with biology as source of future developments in Medicine.
Changing Role of Biology on Medicine: We are understanding more of Genes and inheretence.The quest to discover disease linked genes reaches all time high. Now it is understood the 3 million DNA bases in the Human genome have identified that about only one tenth, of one percent (Million) differ from one person to another. Variation in these particular letters called SNIPS or SNP’s, for single nucleotide polymorphisms have replaced genes as unit of heredity.

Role of Bioinformatics and Bio-Medicine on the Medical Profession: In the near future, every standard text book on Medicine, articles, journals published from reputed medical institutions emphasize the origin of disease on Genetic basis locating, few base pairs of Genes responsible for any complicated disease. The treatment approaches will be on targets of pathological process rather than vague remedies. We teachers in medicine should concentrate in understanding the role of Genes in disease and spread the message to our students. Let us learn to understand many diseases have a genetic basis and unlock the problem with a right key. Let there be more workshops, CME’s & Seminars on orientation of Bioinformatics and Biomedicine to our Doctors, so that we do not remain as Apes in front of a Bioinformed Computer.

Dr.T.V.Rao works as A professor in Medical Microbiology in India and interesting in propagation of futuristic ideas in science and Medicine to develop creative ideas in younger generation.