Genetics, Molecular Microbiology: Genomic studies of C. elegans, yeast and humans
Program Titles
- The Arabidopsis Genome Initiative. Analysis of the genome sequence of the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana
- How the worm was won. Trends Genet
- Fluorescence-based DNA sequencing
Richard K. Wilson, Ph.D., has been a significant player in the effort to sequence the human genome.
Wilson has contributed over one-fourth of the publicly available sequence data, constructed a clone-based physical map to tie together sequences from all centers, and is currently engaged in activities to analyze the genome sequence data and improve its quality. As a prelude to sequencing the human genome, my group led or participated in significant efforts to complete the genome sequences of the yeast S. cerevisiae, the roundworm C. elegans, and the model plant A. thaliana.
Projects have focused on analyzing transcribed sequences (ESTs) from various organisms, including mice and humans. Through this work, we have developed a comprehensive suite of laboratory technology and computational tools for large-scale analysis of complex genomes.
As we understand the human genome and discover the genes responsible for disease and normal cellular functions, we wish to re-focus our ability to develop large-scale nucleic acid analysis technology towards studying gene expression and variation and their respective roles in disease.
Although others have developed methods for assaying changes in gene expression and detecting sequence polymorphisms, none of these methods are currently suitable for large-scale analyses that will understand the complex genetic landscapes characteristic of many human diseases.
Our past experiences developing and utilizing high-throughput methods and strategies for whole genome sequencing provide us with a unique viewpoint on bringing some of the necessary technical advances to these new fields of molecular biology.
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