Now that the human genome has been sequenced and that genome information is becoming available for numerous organisms, a pressing challenge of post genome biology is to determine the functions of all potential genes. In mammals this task is formidable given that a single gene can produce numerous proteins through alternative pre-mRNA splicing. This project will directly examine the function of genes from different organisms using modified nucleic acids (MoNA) and will develop new tools that allow high-throughput screens for genome wide analysis of gene function. Once the gene functions are determined, their potential as drug target will be evaluated and the best candidates will be tested for potential pharmaceutical applications. The project includes internationally renowned scientists from Québec and Sweden to formulate a real international effort towards understanding the function of the human genome. The group members are currently working at the Université de Sherbrooke, McGill University, Karolinska Institute, and University of Stockholm. Future work will be conducted simultaneously in Québec and Stockholm and coordinated via interactive bioinformatics platform.
Co-applicants:
| Benoit | Chabot | Université de Sherbrooke |
| Masad | Damha | McGill University |
| Liam | Good | Karolinska Institutet |
| Ulo | Langel | Stockholms Universitet |
| Claes | Wahlestedt | Karolinska Institutet |
| Raymund | Wellinger | Université de Sherbrooke |