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Kabata F, Thaldar D. The human genome as the common heritage of humanity. Front Genet 2023; 14:1282515. [PMID: 38028596 PMCID: PMC10662319 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1282515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
While debate on the international regulation of human genomic research remains unsettled, the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights, 1997 qualifies the human genome as "heritage of humankind" in a symbolic sense. Using document analysis this article assesses whether, how and to what extent the common heritage framework is relevant in regulation of human genomic research. The article traces the history of the Human Genome Project to reveal the international community's race against privatization of the human genome and its resulting qualification as the common heritage of humanity. Further, it reviews the archival records of UNESCO's International Bioethics Committee to discover the rationale for qualifying the human genome as common heritage of humankind. The article finds that the common heritage of mankind framework remains relevant to the application of the human genome at the collective level. However, the framework is at odds with the individual dimension of the human genome based on individual personality rights. The article thus argues that the right to benefit from scientific progress and its applications offers an alternative international regulatory framework for human genomic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faith Kabata
- School of Law, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Donrich Thaldar
- School of Law, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
- Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Jeffrey SL, Brigham DA, Chawla SP, Federman N, Hall FL, Gordon EM. From Mendel to Gene Therapy. Anticancer Res 2023; 43:4257-4261. [PMID: 37772566 DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.16620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sant P Chawla
- Cancer Center of Southern California/Sarcoma Oncology Research Center, Santa Monica, CA, U.S.A
| | | | | | - Erlinda M Gordon
- Aveni Foundation, Santa Monica, CA, U.S.A.;
- Cancer Center of Southern California/Sarcoma Oncology Research Center, Santa Monica, CA, U.S.A
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Schaare D, Abenavoli L, Boccuto L. Race: How the Post-Genomic Era Has Unmasked a Misconception Promoted by Healthcare. Medicina (Kaunas) 2023; 59:medicina59050861. [PMID: 37241093 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59050861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The term "race" has been employed to categorize human beings into distinct groups based on some perceived biological distinctions. This concept was debunked with the completion of the Human Genome Project and its revolutionary findings that all humans are >99% genetically identical, subsequently making the term "race" obsolete. Unfortunately, the previous misconception is being propagated by the continued use of the term to capture demographic information in healthcare in an attempt to improve equity. This paper seeks to review the history of the term "race", analyze the current policy, and discuss its limitations. It is important to note that our analysis was exclusively focused on the United States healthcare system and the Affordable Care Act; as such, it may not reflect other regions' policies, including those in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. However, we feel that this policy analysis may serve as a model to recommend alterations that mirror the post-genomic era. The need for this policy change was recently highlighted in the 2022 ASHG presidential address, One Human Race: Billions of Genomes, and will reflect the knowledge gleaned by the scientific community through the conclusions of the Human Genome Project.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna Schaare
- Ph.D. Program in Healthcare Genetics and Genomics, School of Nursing, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Ludovico Abenavoli
- Department of Health Sciences, University "Magna Graecia", 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Luigi Boccuto
- Ph.D. Program in Healthcare Genetics and Genomics, School of Nursing, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
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Buhmeida A, Assidi M, Alyazidi O, Olwi DI, Althuwaylimi A, Yahya FM, Arfaoui L, Merdad L, Abuzenadah AM. Assessment of Biobanking Knowledge and Attitudes towards Biospecimen Donation among Healthcare Providers in Saudi Arabia. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022; 19:11872. [PMID: 36231176 PMCID: PMC9565163 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191911872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biobanking is a critical cornerstone of the global shift towards precision medicine (PM). This transformation requires smooth and informed interaction between a range of stakeholders involved in the healthcare system. In Saudi Arabia, there is still insufficient awareness of the importance of biobanking and its potential benefits for patients, the healthcare system, and society as a whole. The purpose of this study was to determine the biobanking knowledge of Saudi healthcare providers and the potential factors that might influence their self-reported attitudes toward biospecimen donation and biobanking. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted targeting 636 healthcare providers in Makkah province using a structured, self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS The study had a response rate of 61%. The mean knowledge level about biobanks was 3.5 (±1.8) out of 7. About one-third of the participants were aware of the Human Genome Project (HGP) (35%) or the term "biobank" (34%). The mean rating of their attitude was 37.3 (±4.3) out of 55. Most participants (74%) had a positive attitude toward medical research. Job position, general health, previous blood tests, knowledge of biobanking, and attitudes toward biomedical research were significantly related and predictors of willingness to donate biospecimens (p < 0.05). However, concerns about biospecimen misuse and confidentiality were the main reasons for not donating biospecimens. CONCLUSIONS This study has shown that healthcare providers mostly lack basic knowledge about HGP and biobanks and their roles and activities, and therefore are generally disinclined to actively participate in biospecimens' collection and management. It is recommended that medical trainees receive more education and awareness about biobanks and the latest personalized healthcare approaches to improve translational research outcomes and achieve precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdelbaset Buhmeida
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mourad Assidi
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Omar Alyazidi
- Public Health Administration, Directorate of Health Affairs of Jeddah Region, Ministry of Health, Jeddah 23222, Saudi Arabia
| | - Duaa Ibrahim Olwi
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1TN, UK
| | - Ahmed Althuwaylimi
- School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Fatimah M. Yahya
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Leila Arfaoui
- Clinical Nutrition Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Leena Merdad
- Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel Mohammad Abuzenadah
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
- King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 22254, Saudi Arabia
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Hescheler DA, Hartmann MJM, Riemann B, Michel M, Bruns CJ, Alakus H, Chiapponi C. Anaplastic thyroid cancer: genome-based search for new targeted therapy options. Endocr Connect 2022; 11:EC-21-0624. [PMID: 35275096 PMCID: PMC9066601 DOI: 10.1530/ec-21-0624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is one of the most lethal human cancers with meager treatment options. We aimed to identify the targeted drugs already approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for solid cancer in general, which could be effective in ATC. DESIGN Database mining. METHODS FDA-approved drugs for targeted therapy were identified by screening the databases of MyCancerGenome and the National Cancer Institute. Drugs were linked to the target genes by querying Drugbank. Subsequently, MyCancerGenome, CIViC, TARGET and OncoKB were mined for genetic alterations which are predicted to lead to drug sensitivity or resistance. We searched the Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA) for patients with ATC and probed their sequencing data for genetic alterations which predict a drug response. RESULTS In the study,155 FDA-approved drugs with 136 potentially targetable genes were identified. Seventeen (52%) of 33 patients found in TCGA had at least one genetic alteration in targetable genes. The point mutation BRAF V600E was seen in 45% of patients. PIK3CA occurred in 18% of cases. Amplifications of ALK and SRC were detected in 3% of cases, respectively. Fifteen percent of the patients displayed a co-mutation of BRAF and PIK3CA. Besides BRAF-inhibitors, the PIK3CA-inhibitor copanlisib showed a genetically predicted response. The 146 (94%) remaining drugs showed no or low (under 4% cases) genetically predicted drug response. CONCLUSIONS While ATC carrying BRAF mutations can benefit from BRAF inhibitors and this effect might be enhanced by a combined strategy including PIK3CA inhibitors in some of the patients, alterations in BRAFWT ATC are not directly targeted by currently FDA-approved options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Alexander Hescheler
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Burkhard Riemann
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Maximilian Michel
- Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne Germany, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christiane Josephine Bruns
- Department of General, Visceral, Tumor and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hakan Alakus
- Department of General, Visceral, Tumor and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Correspondence should be addressed to H Alakus:
| | - Costanza Chiapponi
- Department of General, Visceral, Tumor and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Hescheler DA, Riemann B, Hartmann MJM, Michel M, Faust M, Bruns CJ, Alakus H, Chiapponi C. Targeted Therapy of Papillary Thyroid Cancer: A Comprehensive Genomic Analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:748941. [PMID: 34630336 PMCID: PMC8498581 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.748941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A limited number of targeted therapy options exist for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) to date. Based on genetic alterations reported by the "The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)", we explored whether PTC shows alterations that may be targetable by drugs approved by the FDA for other solid cancers. Methods Databases of the National Cancer Institute and MyCancerGenome were screened to identify FDA-approved drugs for targeted therapy. Target genes were identified using Drugbank. Genetic alterations were classified into conferring drug sensitivity or resistance using MyCancerGenome, CiViC, TARGET, and OncoKB. Genomic data for PTC were extracted from TCGA and mined for alterations predicting drug response. Results A total of 129 FDA-approved drugs with 128 targetable genes were identified. One hundred ninety-six (70%) of 282 classic, 21 (25%) of 84 follicular, and all 30 tall-cell variant PTCs harbored druggable alterations: 259 occurred in 29, 39 in 19, and 31 in 2 targetable genes, respectively. The BRAF V600 mutation was seen in 68% of classic, 16% of follicular variant, and 93% of tall-cell variant PTCs. The RET gene fusion was seen in 8% of classic PTCs, NTRK1 and 3 gene fusions in 3%, and other alterations in <2% of classic variant PTCs. Ninety-nine of 128 (77%) FDA-approved targetable genes did not show any genetic alteration in PTC. Beside selective and non-selective BRAF-inhibitors, no other FDA-approved drug showed any frequent predicted drug sensitivity (<10%). Conclusion Treatment strategies need to focus on resistance mechanisms to BRAF inhibition and on genetic alteration-independent alternatives rather than on current targeted drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A. Hescheler
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- European Institute for Molecular Imaging (EIMI), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Burkhard Riemann
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Milan J. M. Hartmann
- Department of General, Visceral, Tumor and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maximilian Michel
- Institute of Zoology, University of Cologne Germany, Cologne, Germany
| | - Michael Faust
- Policlinic for Prevention, Diabetes and Endocrinology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christiane J. Bruns
- Department of General, Visceral, Tumor and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hakan Alakus
- Department of General, Visceral, Tumor and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Costanza Chiapponi
- Department of General, Visceral, Tumor and Transplant Surgery, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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Romeo G, Bobrow M, Ferguson-Smith M, Ballabio A. Victor McKusick and his role in the founding of the European School of Genetic Medicine. Am J Med Genet A 2021; 185:3253-3258. [PMID: 34498367 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Between 1988 and 2007, during the courses of the European School of Genetic Medicine, many of us had the opportunity to appreciate the tolerant and open-minded personality of Victor McKusick. He was gifted with a unique foresight for the innovations introduced into medicine through the development of the Human Genome Project. The aim of our separate contributions in this article is to document how his insights had an important impact on the European medical training system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Romeo
- Alma Mater Studiorum-Università di Bologna and ESGM, Bologna, Italy
| | | | | | - Andrea Ballabio
- TIGEM-Telethon Institute, Pozzuoli and Università Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Affiliation(s)
- Haim Werner
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- *Correspondence: Haim Werner
| | - Teresa Wood
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Neuroscience and Cancer Center, Rutgers University, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States
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Gramelsberger G. [Big Data Revolution or Data Hubris? : On the Data Positivism of Molecular Biology]. NTM 2017; 25:459-483. [PMID: 29058018 DOI: 10.1007/s00048-017-0179-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Genome data, the core of the 2008 proclaimed big data revolution in biology, are automatically generated and analyzed. The transition from the manual laboratory practice of electrophoresis sequencing to automated DNA-sequencing machines and software-based analysis programs was completed between 1982 and 1992. This transition facilitated the first data deluge, which was considerably increased by the second and third generation of DNA-sequencers during the 2000s. However, the strategies for evaluating sequence data were also transformed along with this transition. The paper explores both the computational strategies of automation, as well as the data evaluation culture connected with it, in order to provide a complete picture of the complexity of today's data generation and its intrinsic data positivism. This paper is thereby guided by the question, whether this data positivism is the basis of the big data revolution of molecular biology announced today, or it marks the beginning of its data hubris.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Gramelsberger
- Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Wissenschafts- und Technikforschung, RWTH Aachen, Theaterplatz 14, 52062, Aachen, Deutschland.
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Moraes F, Góes A. A decade of human genome project conclusion: Scientific diffusion about our genome knowledge. Biochem Mol Biol Educ 2016; 44:215-23. [PMID: 26952518 DOI: 10.1002/bmb.20952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Revised: 10/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/29/2015] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The Human Genome Project (HGP) was initiated in 1990 and completed in 2003. It aimed to sequence the whole human genome. Although it represented an advance in understanding the human genome and its complexity, many questions remained unanswered. Other projects were launched in order to unravel the mysteries of our genome, including the ENCyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE). This review aims to analyze the evolution of scientific knowledge related to both the HGP and ENCODE projects. Data were retrieved from scientific articles published in 1990-2014, a period comprising the development and the 10 years following the HGP completion. The fact that only 20,000 genes are protein and RNA-coding is one of the most striking HGP results. A new concept about the organization of genome arose. The ENCODE project was initiated in 2003 and targeted to map the functional elements of the human genome. This project revealed that the human genome is pervasively transcribed. Therefore, it was determined that a large part of the non-protein coding regions are functional. Finally, a more sophisticated view of chromatin structure emerged. The mechanistic functioning of the genome has been redrafted, revealing a much more complex picture. Besides, a gene-centric conception of the organism has to be reviewed. A number of criticisms have emerged against the ENCODE project approaches, raising the question of whether non-conserved but biochemically active regions are truly functional. Thus, HGP and ENCODE projects accomplished a great map of the human genome, but the data generated still requires further in depth analysis. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 44:215-223, 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Moraes
- Rio de Janeiro State University, Science and Biology Teaching Department-Biology Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Andréa Góes
- Rio de Janeiro State University, Science and Biology Teaching Department-Biology Institute, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Hemophilia A (HA) is an X-linked bleeding disorder caused by deleterious mutations in the coagulation factor VIII gene (F8). To date, F8 mutations have been documented predominantly in European subjects and in American subjects of European descent. Information on F8 variants in individuals of more diverse ethnic backgrounds is limited. OBJECTIVES To discover novel and rare F8 variants, and to characterize F8 variants in diverse population backgrounds. PATIENTS/METHODS We analyzed 2535 subjects, including 26 different ethnicities, whose data were available from the 1000 Genomes Project (1000G) phase 3 dataset, for F8 variants and their potential functional impact. RESULTS We identified 3030 single nucleotide variants, 31 short deletions and insertions (Indels) and a large, 497 kb, deletion. Among all variants, 86.4% were rare variants and 55.6% were novel. Eighteen variants previously associated with HA were found in our study. Most of these 'HA variants' were ethnic-specific with low allele frequency; however, one variant (p.M2257V) was present in 27% of African subjects. The p.E132D, p.T281A, p.A303V and p.D422H 'HA variants' were identified only in males. Twelve novel missense variants were predicted to be deleterious. The large deletion was discovered in eight female subjects without affecting F8 transcription and the transcription of genes on the X chromosome. CONCLUSION Characterizing F8 in the 1000G project highlighted the complexity of F8 variants and the importance of interrogating genetic variants on multiple ethnic backgrounds for associations with bleeding and thrombosis. The haplotype analysis and the orientation of duplicons that flank the large deletion suggested that the deletion was recurrent and originated by homologous recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- J N Li
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - I G Carrero
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - J F Dong
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Puget Sound Blood Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - F L Yu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
- Tianjin Neurology Institute, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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Choudhury S, Fishman JR, McGowan ML, Juengst ET. Big data, open science and the brain: lessons learned from genomics. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:239. [PMID: 24904347 PMCID: PMC4032989 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The BRAIN Initiative aims to break new ground in the scale and speed of data collection in neuroscience, requiring tools to handle data in the magnitude of yottabytes (1024). The scale, investment and organization of it are being compared to the Human Genome Project (HGP), which has exemplified “big science” for biology. In line with the trend towards Big Data in genomic research, the promise of the BRAIN Initiative, as well as the European Human Brain Project, rests on the possibility to amass vast quantities of data to model the complex interactions between the brain and behavior and inform the diagnosis and prevention of neurological disorders and psychiatric disease. Advocates of this “data driven” paradigm in neuroscience argue that harnessing the large quantities of data generated across laboratories worldwide has numerous methodological, ethical and economic advantages, but it requires the neuroscience community to adopt a culture of data sharing and open access to benefit from them. In this article, we examine the rationale for data sharing among advocates and briefly exemplify these in terms of new “open neuroscience” projects. Then, drawing on the frequently invoked model of data sharing in genomics, we go on to demonstrate the complexities of data sharing, shedding light on the sociological and ethical challenges within the realms of institutions, researchers and participants, namely dilemmas around public/private interests in data, (lack of) motivation to share in the academic community, and potential loss of participant anonymity. Our paper serves to highlight some foreseeable tensions around data sharing relevant to the emergent “open neuroscience” movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suparna Choudhury
- Division of Social and Transcultural Psychiatry, McGill University and Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jennifer R Fishman
- Biomedical Ethics Unit, Social Studies of Medicine Department, McGill University Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Michelle L McGowan
- Department of Bioethics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Eric T Juengst
- Center for Bioethics, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Abstract
The notion of treating the patient, and not the particular disease, has been emphasized by physicians for some time. In the past decade, this idea advanced with the human genome project, and has been taken further with the advent of personalized dermatology, or using genetics to drive pharmacological treatment. For example, recent melanoma treatment trials focus entirely on the genetic makeup of the individual. Although some dermatological conditions such as melanoma are being targeted with gene-specific therapy, the idea of choosing a drug based on the genetic makeup to treat other dermatologic conditions might be relevant, since it may increase drug efficacy or decrease adverse drug events. This concept of pharmacogenomics could be applied throughout the field of dermatology. Online libraries have been developed to guide drug efficacy, dose prediction and adverse events. We provide a list of current systemic dermatologic drugs in which the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics have been studied. It would be beneficial to guide patient treatment with these drugs, if we can better understand their pharmacogenomics.
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Crommelin DJA, Sindelar RD, Meibohm B. Genomics, Other “Omic” Technologies, Personalized Medicine, and Additional Biotechnology-Related Techniques. Pharmaceutical Biotechnology 2013. [PMCID: PMC7122419 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-6486-0_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The products resulting for biotechnologies continue to grow at an exponential rate, and the expectations are that an even greater percentage of drug development will be in the area of the biologics. In 2011, worldwide there were over 800 new biotech drugs and treatments in development including 23 antisense, 64 cell therapy, 50 gene therapy, 300 monoclonal antibodies, 78 recombinant proteins, and 298 vaccines (PhRMA 2012). Pharmaceutical biotechnology techniques are at the core of most methodologies used today for drug discovery and development of both biologics and small molecules. While recombinant DNA technology and hybridoma techniques were the major methods utilized in pharmaceutical biotechnology through most of its historical timeline, our ever-widening understanding of human cellular function and disease processes and a wealth of additional and innovative biotechnologies have been, and will continue to be, developed in order to harvest the information found in the human genome. These technological advances will provide a better understanding of the relationship between genetics and biological function, unravel the underlying causes of disease, explore the association of genomic variation and drug response, enhance pharmaceutical research, and fuel the discovery and development of new and novel biopharmaceuticals. These revolutionary technologies and additional biotechnology-related techniques are improving the very competitive and costly process of drug development of new medicinal agents, diagnostics, and medical devices. Some of the technologies and techniques described in this chapter are both well established and commonly used applications of biotechnology producing potential therapeutic products now in development including clinical trials. New techniques are emerging at a rapid and unprecedented pace and their full impact on the future of molecular medicine has yet to be imagined.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan J. A. Crommelin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Utrecht The Netherlands
| | - Robert D. Sindelar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia Canada
| | - Bernd Meibohm
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, College of Pharmacy, Memphis, Tennessee USA
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15
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Kelleher NL. A cell-based approach to the human proteome project. J Am Soc Mass Spectrom 2012; 23:1617-1624. [PMID: 22976808 PMCID: PMC3456959 DOI: 10.1007/s13361-012-0469-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Revised: 08/06/2012] [Accepted: 08/07/2012] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The general scope of a project to determine the protein molecules that comprise the cells within the human body is framed. By focusing on protein primary structure as expressed in specific cell types, this concept for a cell-based version of the Human Proteome Project (CB-HPP) is crafted in a manner analogous to the Human Genome Project while recognizing that cells provide a primary context in which to define a proteome. Several activities flow from this articulation of the HPP, which enables the definition of clear milestones and deliverables. The CB-HPP highlights major gaps in our knowledge regarding cell heterogeneity and protein isoforms, and calls for development of technology that is capable of defining all human cell types and their proteomes. The main activities will involve mapping and sorting cell types combined with the application of beyond the state-of-the art in protein mass spectrometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil L Kelleher
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
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16
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Shaffer JR, Feingold E, Marazita ML. Genome-wide association studies: prospects and challenges for oral health. J Dent Res 2012; 91:637-41. [PMID: 22562461 PMCID: PMC3383848 DOI: 10.1177/0022034512446968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2011] [Revised: 03/26/2012] [Accepted: 04/09/2012] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomic era of biomedical research has given rise to the genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach, which attempts to discover novel genes affecting an outcome by testing a large number (i.e., hundreds of thousands to millions) of genetic variants for association. This article discusses the issues surrounding the GWAS approach with emphasis on the prospects and challenges relevant to the oral health research community.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Shaffer
- Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 130 DeSoto St., A300 Crabtree Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA.
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Nakayama M. Cell Therapy Using Induced Pluripotent Stem (iPS) Cells Meets Next-Next Generation DNA Sequencing Technology. Curr Genomics 2011; 10:303-5. [PMID: 20119527 PMCID: PMC2729994 DOI: 10.2174/138920209788921001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2009] [Revised: 05/17/2009] [Accepted: 05/18/2009] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent development of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cell technology brings cell and gene therapies to patients one large step closer to reality. Technical improvements in various research fields sometimes come together fortuitously, leading to approaches to treating disease. If iPS cell technology continues to progress smoothly as expected and is actually applied to patients, the next logical step to ensuring the success of iPS cell therapy is to make use of next-next generation DNA sequencing technology and bioinformatics of recipient genomes. Before a patient-derived iPS cell colony is used for clinical therapy in a patient, the colony should undergo whole-genome DNA sequencing, thus avoiding risks associated with spontaneously mutagenized iPS cells. Researchers participating in the Human Genome Project need to take full advantage of both technologies—iPS cell technology and DNA sequencing—as doing so will help us achieve the original long-term goal of the project: developing therapies that will benefit human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manabu Nakayama
- Department of Human Genome Research, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, 2-6-7 Kazusa-Kamatari, Kisarazu, Chiba 292-0818, Japan
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18
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Abstract
The Human Genome Project (HGP) refers to the international scientific research program, formally begun in October 1990 and completed in 2003, mainly designated to discover all the human genes, analyzing the structure of human DNA and determining the location of all human genes and also making them accessible for further biological and medical investigations. With the appropriate rationale approach, a similar study has been held in Iran. The study of human genome among Iranian ethnicities (IHGP) has been attempted formally in 2000 through a detailed and fully programmed research among all the major ethnic groups by more than 1,900 samples from all over Iran based on the main demographical and anthropological findings and formally known criteria considered for the international HGP. This paper overviewed the process of the research in the terms of program goals, primary data collection, research designation and methodology and also practical aspects and primary findings of the Iranian genome project and its progress during a nearly 5-year period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kambiz Banihashemi
- Department of Medical Sciences, Great Persian Encyclopedia Foundation, Ministry of Science, Research and Technology, Tajrish, P.O. Box 19615-866, Tehran, Iran
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Zwart H. The Nobel Prize as a Reward Mechanism in the Genomics Era: Anonymous Researchers, Visible Managers and the Ethics of Excellence. J Bioeth Inq 2010; 7:299-312. [PMID: 20730106 PMCID: PMC2917546 DOI: 10.1007/s11673-010-9248-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2009] [Accepted: 05/26/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The Human Genome Project (HGP) is regarded by many as one of the major scientific achievements in recent science history, a large-scale endeavour that is changing the way in which biomedical research is done and expected, moreover, to yield considerable benefit for society. Thus, since the completion of the human genome sequencing effort, a debate has emerged over the question whether this effort merits to be awarded a Nobel Prize and if so, who should be the one(s) to receive it, as (according to current procedures) no more than three individuals can be selected. In this article, the HGP is taken as a case study to consider the ethical question to what extent it is still possible, in an era of big science, of large-scale consortia and global team work, to acknowledge and reward individual contributions to important breakthroughs in biomedical fields. Is it still viable to single out individuals for their decisive contributions in order to reward them in a fair and convincing way? Whereas the concept of the Nobel prize as such seems to reflect an archetypical view of scientists as solitary researchers who, at a certain point in their careers, make their one decisive discovery, this vision has proven to be problematic from the very outset. Already during the first decade of the Nobel era, Ivan Pavlov was denied the Prize several times before finally receiving it, on the basis of the argument that he had been active as a research manager (a designer and supervisor of research projects) rather than as a researcher himself. The question then is whether, in the case of the HGP, a research effort that involved the contributions of hundreds or even thousands of researchers worldwide, it is still possible to "individualise" the Prize? The "HGP Nobel Prize problem" is regarded as an exemplary issue in current research ethics, highlighting a number of quandaries and trends involved in contemporary life science research practices more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hub Zwart
- Faculty of Science, Radboud University Nijmegen, Department of Philosophy & Science Studies, Centre for Society & Genomics Institute for Science, Innovation & Society, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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20
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Giampietro PF. Can genomic medicine be applied to the management of essential hypertension? Clin Med Res 2003; 1:271-2. [PMID: 15931319 PMCID: PMC1069055 DOI: 10.3121/cmr.1.4.271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Young SN. Beyond the human genome. J Psychiatry Neurosci 2001; 26:291-2. [PMID: 11590968 PMCID: PMC167182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/21/2023] Open
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Abstract
We have curated a reference set of cancer- related genes and reanalyzed their sequences in the light of molecular information and resources that have become available since they were first cloned. Homology studies were carried out for human oncogenes and tumor suppressors, compared with the complete proteome of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans, and partial proteomes of mouse and rat and the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Our results demonstrate that simple, semi-automated bioinformatics approaches to identifying putative functionally equivalent gene products in different organisms may often be misleading. An electronic supplement to this article provides an integrated view of our comparative genomics analysis as well as mapping data, physical cDNA resources and links to published literature and reviews, thus creating a "window" into the genomes of humans and other organisms for cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- O K Pickeral
- Computational Biology Branch, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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