RSS Channels IndexOut-of-Sequence Experience: Deciphering DNA with ‘omics’
Source Newsroom: Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science
Scientists gather to share how a total ‘omics’ approach is changing translational research and medicine
Newswise — COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nearly twelve years ago, the Human Genome Project gave the world its first look at the 3 billion letters that make up the human blueprint – and a glimpse at the future of personalized medicine. Early on in the project, scientists estimated it would take one hundred years to fully understand the code.
Friday, clinicians and researchers gathered at Ohio State’s Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) Third Annual Scientific Meeting to help disprove that prediction, and to showcase how they are deciphering the code using genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and other ‘omics’ to make predictive, preventative and precision medicine a reality in the 21st century.
“Today’s meeting gives scientists an appreciation for how unbelievably complex and variable the genome is – and then offers a practical look at how ‘omics’ can help realize the goal of delivering the right therapy to the right people at the right time,” said Dr. Rebecca Jackson, director of Ohio State’s CCTS and associate dean for clinical research at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
More than 300 biomedical investigators, clinicians and students were in attendance at the meeting, which included presentations by experts detailing where ‘omics’ are making an impact in a range of fields from drug discovery to bioinformatics. Among the presenters was keynote speaker, Christopher P. Austin, M.D., scientific director of the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH’s) Center for Translational Therapeutics, who currently works to develop and implement programs that derive biologic insights and therapeutic benefits from the human genome sequence.
“This is a very exciting time at NIH, with the founding of the new National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) and the enormous opportunities it presents to catalyze the development of new technologies and paradigms to drive diagnostic and therapeutic development,” said Austin.
Next generation sequencing technology is also helping accelerate the mission, and according to Jackson, using a broad ‘omics’ approach to study disease will be essential to maximizing the expected flood of data made possible by advanced equipment.
“When the human genome was first sequenced, I don’t think anyone imagined that by 2012 we would be able to sequence in 15 minutes at a fraction of the cost. That means more code to analyze but also more opportunity to connect the dots and establish causality,” said Jackson.
Other presenters shared ongoing ‘omics’ work, including:
• Wolfgang Sadee, Dr.rer.nat.: Felts Mercer professor of medicine and pharmacology; director, Program in Pharmacogenomics, Ohio State College of Medicine detailed efforts of the XGEN project to identify regulatory variants across the genome in order to increase drug efficacy and decrease toxicity. The group has already identified functional variations in 10 genes that are implicated in a wide range of diseases.
• Robert E. Gerszten, MD: Director of Clinical & Translational Research for the MGH Institute for Heart, Vascular and Stroke Care; Senior Associate Member, Broad Institute discussed research to correlate biomarkers with cardiovascular injury to identify mechanistic abnormalities and therapeutic targets among patients with the highest risk factors for poor outcome and disease progression
• Nathan D. Price, PhD: Associate Professor, Institute for Systems Biology; Affiliate Associate Professor, Bio-Engineering and Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington shared how a systems biology approach is helping turn massive amounts of omics data into meaningful knowledge that correlates to real world use.
• Brad H. Rovin, MD, FACP, FASN: professor and director, division of nephrology, vice chair for research, department of internal medicine, Ohio State, shared results of research using genomics, proteomics and metabolomics to establish a non-invasive biomarker-based test for detecting and tracking lupus nephritis, a complication of lupus that can cause kidney failure.
“Since the Human Genome Project, science has exploded with many opportunities to leverage that knowledge to advance personalized health care,” said Clay Marsh, M.D., executive director of the Center for Personalized Health Care and vice dean for research at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. “Omics’ represents an exciting research area where we can begin to see how the transfer of knowledge from scientist to clinician to consumer can be accelerated, and how this ideal collaborative experience that the Clinical and Translational Science Award was designed to create can work.”
The mission of NCATS and the CTSA program is to activate innovative methods and technologies that enhance the development, testing and implementation of diagnostics and therapeutics across a wide range of human diseases and conditions. Ohio State’s CCTS serves this mission by sharing its culture of collaboration and innovation as it builds an accessible clinical and translational infrastructure to support scientific discovery, including a unique partnership that brings together The Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, seven Ohio State Health Sciences colleges and six non-Health Sciences colleges.
“This ever-evolving genome picture shows us just how many potential variables there are at work – not just inside our DNA but outside behaviors that influence our genes, and the course of disease and health,” says Jackson. “We’ve structured the CCTS based on the belief that it’s the study of these intersections of lifestyle, behavior, pharmacology, genetics and biochemistry paired with understanding of the transcriptional stages that will provide the key to treating the individual instead of treating the disease.”
In addition to presentations, breakout discussion panels and a poster session were also held at the meeting. An archive of the meeting can be accessed at http://ccts.osu.edu/2012_Scientific_Mtg
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About The Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science
Dedicated to turning the scientific discoveries of today into the life-changing health innovations of tomorrow, The Ohio State University Center for Clinical and Translational Science (OSU CCTS) is a collaboration of experts including scientists and clinicians from seven OSU Health Science Colleges, Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Funded by a multi-year Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) at the National Institutes of Health, OSU CCTS provides financial, organizational and educational support to biomedical researchers as well as opportunities for community members to participate in credible and valuable research. The CCTS is led by Rebecca Jackson, M.D., Director of the CCTS and associate dean of research at The Ohio State College of Medicine. For more information, visit http://ccts.osu.edu.
About the Clinical and Translational Science Awards
Launched in 2006 by the NIH, and currently residing in the newly created National Center for the Advancement of Translational Sciences (NCATS), the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program created academic homes for clinical and translational science at research institutions across the country. The CTSA’s primary goals are to speed the time it takes for basic science to turn into useable therapeutics that directly improve human health, and to train the next generation of clinicians and translational researchers.
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