Regulatory Genetics: Identification of Regulatory Polymorphisms in the Human Genome.

Dr. Tom Hudson and his colleagues at McGill University (K. Dewar, K. Morgan, A. Peterson, C. Greenwood),the Université de Montréal (D. Labuda, D. Sinnett) and Université Laval (M-C Vohl), have set out to identify regulatory polymorphisms in the human genome that could be associatedto thesusceptibility to common diseases or the therapeutic responses.The scientists will use complementary approaches to screen up to 1,000 candidate genes.The regulatory regions of these genes will be surveyed for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).Other putative regulatory sites with possible functional significance will be selected on the basis of evolutionary conservation. High-throughput gene expression screening will indicate which genes in specific tissues show allelic imbalance i.e. regulatory irregularities.The best candidates will be further validated and studied for their function by inserting them into transgenic mice.All the data are integrated into a relational database.

Co-applicants: