FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 2, 2000 |
Contact:
NHLBI Communications Office
(301) 496-4236 |
NHLBI Launches Genomic Applications Initiative $37 Million
Awarded in Initial Effort
- Studies to link genes to biological function on a genomic scale.
- Free and immediate access to all information and reagents by the research
community, thereby allowing other scientists to develop separate relevant studies
cost effectively.
- Short-term advanced training and educational programs for other researchers
on the use of the data and related technologies.
PGAs may be composed of multiple grants to investigators at several sites,
or they may consist of a single grant awarded to one site. Thirty-seven grants
awarded to investigators at 35 universities and research settings comprise the
funded PGAs.
"The NHLBI will facilitate interactions within and between programs to encourage
strong collaboration among the various PGAs," notes Dr. Susan Old, a health
science administrator in the NHLBI's Division of Heart and Vascular Diseases.
"We also hope to engage the investigators in exploring shared areas of concern,
such as quality control, data representation, and training and education."
In addition, the NHLBI plans to develop a section on its Website (www.nhlbi.nih.gov)
to include information about the PGA initiative and related resource and training
opportunities, as well as descriptions of each PGA.
The inaugural PGAs are listed below in alphabetical order, followed by the
name and institutional affiliation of the PGA director:
- Applied Genomics In Cardiopulmonary Disease. Joe G. Garcia, M.D., Johns
Hopkins University.
- Comparative Genomic Analysis Of Cardiovascular Gene Regulation. Edward M.
Rubin, M.D., Ph.D., University of California-Lawrence Berkeley Lab.
- Expression Profiling Of Rodent Models Of Human Disease. John Quackenbush,
Ph.D., The Institute for Genomic Research.
- Genomic Analysis Of Stress And Inflammation. Brian Seed, Ph.D., Massachusetts
General Hospital.
- Genomics And Proteomics Of Cell Injury & Inflammation. Stephen A. Johnston,
Ph.D., University of Texas Southwest Medical Center/Dallas.
- Genomics Of Cardiovascular Development, Adaptation And Remodeling. Seigo
Izumo, M.D., Harvard Medical School-Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
- Innate Immunity In Heart, Lung, & Blood Disease. Fernando D. Martinez, M.D.,
University of Arizona.
- Mouse Models Of Heart, Lung, And Blood Diseases. Luanne L. Peters, Ph.D.,
Jackson Laboratory.
- The NHLBI Bay Area Functional Genomics Consortium. Stephen G. Young, M.D.,
J. David Gladstone Institutes
- Physiogenomics Of Stressors In Derived Consomic Rats. Howard J. Jacob, Ph.D.,
Medical College of Wisconsin.
- UW-FHCRC Variation Discovery Resource. Deborah A. Nickerson, Ph.D., University
of Washington.
Part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the NHLBI is committed to
providing tools and resources needed for future genetics research. The Institute
has long been at the forefront of conducting genetic research and providing
scientific resources to facilitate genomic studies. Other activities include:
- Research aimed at understanding how genetic variation contributes to disease
and to individual responses to drugs, in areas such as high blood pressure,
asthma, sickle cell disease, and thrombosis.
- Active involvement in NIH genomic efforts, such as the Rat Genome Database,
mouse mutagenesis and phenotyping efforts, the NIH Mammalian Gene Collection,
and the NIH SNP Discovery Program.
- Resources for genetic studies, including the NHLBI Mammalian Genotyping
Service, the Stored Genetics Sample Inventory Database, and the Genetically
Altered Animal Models Database.
"As the world begins to benefit from the culmination of work spearheaded
by the Human Genome Project," comments Dr. Lenfant, "we hope that NHLBI's genomics
initiatives will provide the impetus to stir our creativity and thereby bring
new light and new hope to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart,
lung, blood and sleep disorders."
To interview Dr. Old, PGA program administrator, please contact the NHLBI
Communications Office at (301) 496-4236.
NHLBI press releases, scientific resources, and other materials are online
at www.nhlbi.nih.gov.