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The Ottawa Sun
Copyright (c) 2004, Sun Media Corporation
RESEARCHERS JOIN FORCES TO STUDY CELL 'CIRCUIT BOARDS'
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
BY HOLLY LAKE, OTTAWA SUN
While he's one of the world's leading authorities on stem cell research, Dr. Michael Rudnicki is now turning his attention to circuits -- albeit, cell circuits.
The senior scientist at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute is leading an international consortium that's hoping to uncover how the "circuit board" underneath genes turns them on and off, ultimately determining what kind of cell the genes will form.
The human body has more than 200 different type of cells, which all start as stem cells. As the embryo develops, choices are made that determine what type of cell a set of genes will become.
Each cell type has a different gene pattern. During cell development, some genes are turned on, while others are turned off. The unique pattern determines a cell's identity and controls its function.
"(As the cell is created) there is a regulatory switchboard controlling which lights are going on and off," Rudnicki said. "We want to define what the circuit board is."
COLLABORATIVE PROCESS
The consortium will host a workshop in Ottawa this May, which is expected to draw more than 60 scientists and funding agency representatives from six countries, including France, the U.K., Singapore, Italy and the U.S.
Rudnicki said they want to bring efforts together so research can move forward in a more systematic manner. The workshop will be the first step in this collaborative process.
"The project has the capacity to revolutionize our knowledge of cell function," Rudnicki said. "It will give us a whole new dimension and understanding of how cells function, how tissues are formed and how they regenerate."
The research could have significant implications in the fight against disease.
"It will give us real insight into states of cell dysfunction like cancer," Rudnicki said.
"If we understand the circuit board, we will understand which buttons we need to push in order to eliminate cells in cancer or correct their behaviour."