|
 |
Overview
The fundamental scientific focus of the Center for Genomic Sciences
(CGS) is functional genomics. This term includes gene discovery the
identification of genes associated with normal and abnormal
physiological functions using affected patient populations and
statistical means, but goes beyond this to elucidate the roles these
genes play in homeostatic processes and the detailed mechanisms by
which they play these roles. Functional genomics is the foundation
upon which the future of medicine will be built. Unlike many previous
modes of biological discovery, the concept of functional genomics cuts
across traditional discipline lines. Functional genomics is an
iterative process which begins with the patient, goes through the
laboratory, and returns to the patient in the form of improved care.
Functional genomics can best flourish in a rich clinical environment
because of the fundamental necessity for close collaboration among
patients, physicians, and scientists. Thus, the most important
discoveries will emanate from academic health centers, as these are
the only organizations which can assemble all three groups.
The development of a family of technologies based on the manipulation
of nucleic acids has provided the biomedical sciences with a lingua
franca for the first time. The development of this language has
in turn fostered the development of the field of functional genomics
and has helped unite the various medical specialties and has removed
many artificial barriers between disciplines. The founding premise of
the CGS was that by pooling the varied expertises of the member
scientists and clinicians in the creation of a combined laboratory
resource, the CGS would create a synergistic environment for research
that would foster faculty development, reduce overall institutional
costs and generate extramural funding. Unlike individual
investigators' laboratories that focus for years on a single disease
or system, CGS focuses on technologies that are broadly applicable to
studying a wide range of conditions, such as fragment analyses,
differential display, suppression subtraction technologies, gene array
technology, proteomics, molecular imaging methods and strain
construction. The CGS staff then develops expertise in these
techniques permitting individual investigators to assemble their
research programs freed from many of the concerns associated with
laboratory and technique development.
The CGS draws its member scientists from nearly every department in
the West Penn Allegheny Health System (WPAHS) and Children's Hospital
of Pittsburgh and thus serves as a common molecular genetics
laboratory obviating the need for each investigative or clinical group
from having to establish, maintain, and run a modern molecular
research facility. This allows surgeon-scientists to conduct cutting
edge molecular research who would otherwise not have the time or
resources to engage in a productive research career, and it provides
basic scientists with an unparalleled opportunity to excel in their
chosen fields of endeavor while reducing overall costs and maximizing
efficiency.
The CGS and its member scientists collectively possess the five
fundamental elements necessary for an efficient gene discovery
enterprise: 1) well-characterized patient populations spanning all
medical specialties; 2) state-of-the-art comparative genomic and
expressomic facilities, as well as automated genotyping and sequencing
laboratories; 3) modern animal laboratory facilities to produce animal
models of disease processes for controlled study; 4) automated data
processing and analysis systems; and 5) a cooperative intellectual and
professional environment. The scientific staff of the CGS function
synergistically, sharing technical, laboratory and personnel
resources; this permits efficiencies of scale and maximizes return on
fiscal and intellectual capital investments. Thus the CGS provides
all of the resources necessary for the rapid identification and
characterization of human genes associated with development, disease,
and disease susceptibilities.
Back
|