Chromosome Painting, Gene Mapping of Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumor Disease
Deakin, Bender et al., PLoS Genetics
A team led by investigators at the Australian National University reports its use of "chromosome painting and gene mapping to deconstruct the DFTD [Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease] karyotype and determine the chromosome and gene rearrangements involved in carcinogenesis." Through its analysis, the team produced detailed maps of both the devil and tumor karyotypes, which the researchers say will aid future genomic investigations into the transmissible cancer.
Cell Watchers
January 27, 2012
The Broad Institute has received a $32.5 million grant from the Klarman Family Foundation to open the Klarman Cell Observatory, a project focused on "deciphering how human cells are wired," an institute press release says. The Broad's Eric Lander says the project will create "a complete catalog of cell circuitry." This could help researchers understand how cells make "biological decisions" in their healthy and diseased states, the Broad adds, and may also help in the creation of new treatments and therapies. The Observatory "will foster groundbreaking discoveries and technological advances in cell circuit research. It will continue to propel advances in the experimental and computational methods needed to understand cell circuitry, and establish their broad applicability by studying a variety of cell type," the Broad says. Since much of what is known about cell circuitry comes from simple organisms like yeast and bacteria, the Observatory will focus on the cells of more complex organisms like humans and other mammals. The project will be led by Aviv Regev, the press release adds.