Monthly Archives: November 2012

Whole Genome Sequencing and You
This video is about whole genome sequencing. What is a genome? What are the basics of how whole genome sequencing works? What can you find out about yourself from getting your genome sequenced? And what are the potential benefits and risks? You might be considering getting your genome sequenced for clinical, research or personal reasons. Or you might just be curious and want to learn a bit more about this technology. This video was developed to help you understand a bit more about what whole genome sequencing is, and what it could mean for you. It was developed by researchers at Mount Sinai #39;s Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Department of Emergency Medicine with funding from the Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, with valuable input from several community consultants, patients and others from around the Mount Sinai community. bull; Visit the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences: ow.ly bull; Visit the Department of Emergency Medicine: ow.ly bull; Visit the Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine: ow.lyFrom:MountSinaiSchoolViews:5 3ratingsTime:10:41More inEducation

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Neanderthals Deciphered
Annual Speaker Series on Human Origins Lecture Recorded at the Houston Museum of Natural Sciences on October 9, 2012. Neanderthals were the first fossil hominins discovered and, since then, have been the most studied. However, it is only in the last two decades that entirely new techniques have made new and fascinating insights into their biology and behavior possible. Beyond their odd anatomy, we are now able to explore the mechanisms of their birth and growth, the way their brains developed, and the chemical signals left in their bones from their diet. The decoding of their genome has opened a new era in Paleoanthropology. Ultimately, understanding the rise and the fall of the Neanderthals will help us to elucidate the unrivaled evolutionary success of our own species. ----- Dr. Jean-Jacques Hublin Director, Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute Dr. Jean-Jacques Hublin is currently a Professor at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig (Germany), where he serves as the Director of the Department of Human Evolution. Initially his research focused on the origin and evolution of Neanderthals and he has proposed an accretion model for the emergence of the Neanderthal lineage that roots it in the time of the Mid-Pleistocene. He developed the use of medical and virtual imaging in the reconstruction and study of fossil hominids. He has led field operations in North Africa, Spain and France. ----- National Sponsor: Wells Fargo Bank Local ...From:TheLeakeyFoundationViews:1 0ratingsTime:01:13:36More inScience Technology

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The Cinderella of Genomics with Peter Leigh, Microsonic Systems
Chapters: 0:47 Sample Prep - the Cinderella of Genomics 10:10 The big market for genomics will be the clinic 12:00 A linguist learns the language of genomics 17:11 High tech and bio just learning to talk to each other 22:47 Healthcare - the macro picture BONUS: 30:50 An accidental invention Summary: This week at ASHG 2012 in San Francisco, Microsonic Systems is launching their first product, a high-throughput sample prep system for NGS. We talked with CEO, Peter Leigh, about the system which makes use of an accidental discovery made by co-founder, Vibhu Vivek, when he was a grad student at the University of Hawaii (see bonus section at the end). Peter is an illustrative speaker who has had along career in the life sciences. He talks of the coming revolution of genomic medicine, saying that the new technologies such as whole genome sequencing are going to do for the 21st century what antibiotics did for the 20th century. His companies focus is sample prep, a laborious process that must be carried out with sequencing, but which doesn #39;t get much attention. In one study, Peter says, they reduced the time it takes to prepare NGS libraries from 10 days down to 1 and 1/2 days. He calls sample prep the Cinderella of Genomics.From:mendelspodViews:0 0ratingsTime:33:56More inScience Technology

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The Cinderella of Genomics with Peter Leigh, Microsonic Systems - Video

Scientists Predict Eugenics Society Within 5 Years
*PLEASE READ DESCRIPTION* FAIR USE Professor Armand Leroi, of Imperial College London, predicts that the ever declining cost of DNA testing means that we may be heading toward a society that is based on genetic superiority. "The search for an essence is a 2000-year-old myth. What we are left with is a sense of capacity and the role of genes in the way they give us these things," he added. "I am certain genome sequencing will be available on the NHS (UK health service) within our lifetimes. It is going to be very, very accessible very, very soon." http://www.medicaldaily.com http://www.britishcouncil.org erc.europa.eu Gattaca A science-fiction film set in the near future, it #39;s about a world controlled by the Gattaca Corporation, where everyone is categorized according to their DNA. Ethan Hawke stars as Vincent, a man whose genes have been deemed inferior by the powers-that-be. He dreams of traveling to space, but is considered fit only for menial jobs. He manages to take some genetic material from an angry disabled man (Jude Law) who is genetically superior. Uma Thurman is the woman who falls in love with Vincent, without knowing who he really is. Directed by Andrew Niccol. With Alan Arkin. Categories: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi, Thriller. Year: 1997. http://www.youtube.com = = = = = = = = FAIR USE NOTICE: This Video may contain copyrighted () material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ...From:CreativeMessageViews:0 0ratingsTime:04:42More inEducation

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Scientists Predict Eugenics Society Within 5 Years - Video

About 70 percent of chocolate in the world comes from West Africa.

(Phys.org)With the help of information technology (IT), Penn State professor Mark Guiltinan makes the world a sweeter place.

Guiltinan is a professor of plant molecular biology in the Department of Horticulture in the College of Agricultural Sciences. He currently runs the Guiltinan Lab, where he studies crop improvement and sustainable farming methods. Guiltinan was a key player in The International Cocoa Genome Sequencing Consortium, a worldwide effort to sequence and analyze the genome of the Criollo variety of the Theobromo cacao plant, the key ingredient in high-quality chocolate. Using genome sequencing programs and computer clusters at Penn State and abroad, Guiltinan and his colleagues have mapped the cacao genome and are working to breed better, more disease-resistant cacao plants.

Despite the incredible popularity of chocolate, the cacao plant is surprisingly difficult to grow. About 70 percent of the world's chocolate comes from West Africa, where cacao farmers often live in poverty and operate small farms. The highest quality chocolate comes from the Criollo variety of the cocoa plant, a crop that is highly susceptible to disease. An outbreak of disease among these cacao plants can destroy the lives of the farmers and their local economies.

Unlike staple crops like corn and soy, cacao trees have not been researched extensively or engineered to resist disease, and many of these trees cannot yield enough cacao to meet the growing international demand for chocolate. Guiltinan and his colleagues' research aims to the study specific gene families of Criollo that relate to disease resistance. By understanding the cacao genome and ultimately breeding higher quality cacao trees, Guiltinan hopes to provide economic, social and environmental advantages for chocolate-producing nations.

"Understanding the chocolate genome will have so many benefits," Guiltinan explained. "Perennial tree crops like cacao are good for the soil. They protect the water shed and provide a habitat for insects, birds and other animals."

Guiltinan believes that improving the genetic makeup of the cacao plant is ultimately more beneficial than using pesticides, since cacao farmers are rarely able to afford pesticides or the equipment needed to administer them. Also, Guiltinan's genetic approach is more environmentally friendly.

"You can fight disease with chemicals, but genetics is really the best way to do it," Guiltinan said. "The technology is already in the DNA. You don't have to spray it on. It doesn't get washed off. You don't need spraying equipment. You don't need chemicals."

The incredible amount of research and data in Guiltinan's collection would not be possible without IT. In October 2009, Penn State researchers conducted a total of five genome sequencing runs using a computer sequencer called Roche/454 GS FLX. The sequencer is located on campus on the third floor of Wartik Laboratory. In order to use the sequencer, researchers loaded a sample of the DNA from the Criollo variety of the Theobromo cacao plant. The sequencer produced a series of image files, which then needed to be analyzed.

According to Guiltinan, sequencing the genome is not the most difficult aspect of his research. Rather, he believes the real challenge lies in analyzing the data and identifying which genes are most important in disease resistance.

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Chocolate genome research good for farmers, environment, sweet lovers