Bioinformatics
The Bioinformatics Core provides analysis tools for the interpretation of sequence data and design of molecular reagents. The function of the Bioinformatics Core is to 1) provide technical support and access to a collection of analysis tools for designing molecular reagents and analyzing genomic and proteomic data; and 2) develop the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database.
The Bioinformatics Core is equipped with a range of sequence analysis software for similarity searching, alignment, motif finding, and clustering of expressed sequence tags to facilitate molecular research projects. Multiple Sun Fire servers and networked storage devices are supported by Bioinformatics and dedicated to facilitating sequence analysis and protecting scientific data for investigators and students at MDIBL. System administration and software development expertise are also available upon request.
Most human diseases, including asthma, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, immune deficiency disorders, and Parkinson’s disease, are caused by chemicals that alter the normal functions of our genes. Humans use more than 85,000 chemicals in their day-to-day activities, but we know little about how these chemicals affect gene function. To meet the critical need for defining how chemicals cause disease, MDIBL has created a unique, publicly accessible resource, the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD; http://ctd.mdibl.org). CTD integrates data collected from many sources to predict relationships between chemicals, genes, and diseases. These predictions in turn allow scientists and physicians to define how chemicals in our environment impact human health.
Research scientists use CTD to develop important insights in such diverse areas as understanding the developmental effects of arsenic exposure, identifying environmental causes of autism, and modeling chemical-gene-disease interaction networks. Public use of this resource increases annually. In the first half of 2009, CTD received over 15 million hits from over 254,000 users, representing an average of 28,000 hits per day.
The Bioinformatics Core is directed by Carolyn Mattingly, and questions may be directed to her.
