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A new first of its kind institution aimed at enhancing local genomic research as well as diagnosing and treating patients with genetic disorders has been unveiled in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Center for Genomic Discovery is a joint venture between the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) and the Al Jalila Genomics Center of the Al Jalila Childrens Specialty Hospital (AJCH).

The necessary interdisciplinary activities including patient recruitment, genomic data analysis, and functional characterisation cannot be undertaken without the Center, its founding institutions, and the interdisciplinary ecosystem they have created, said Fahad Ali, Assistant Professor of Molecular Biology at MBRU. At the Center, functional experiments will be designed to characterise any novel candidate genes or mutations, to establish new gene-disease associations, and to explore potential therapeutic targets.

And work has already started with one family, offering promising progress, said Stefan Du Plessis, founding Dean of Research and Graduate Studies at MBRU and a member of the Centers Steering Committee.

At least one novel gene has been identified by whole-exome sequencing a complex genomic test which surveys all 20,000+ human genes in search for tiny changes which might be disease causing, he said. Functional analysis is still ongoing but preliminary data strongly suggests a role in disease. We have also identified patients outside the UAE, in the Gulf region, with the same clinical conditions, mutations and gene.

We are now establishing collaborations with researchers from those sites to characterise this gene. The fact that patients from different backgrounds with similar clinical features have mutations in the same gene further establishes a potential new gene-disease discovery.

WHY IT MATTERS

Speaking at Arab Health 2021, Amer Sharif, Vice Chancellor of MBRU, described the formation of the centre as a major milestone for healthcare research in the UAE.

These are life-changing outcomes that underline the power of research and the role of MBRU and our academic health system partners as research-intensive institutes, he said. The establishment of the Center of Genomic Discovery through an integrated academic health system will allow us to innovate in genomics application and gene discovery. This will also enable us to realise our vision of advancing health through cutting-edge academic research and nurturing future scientists serving individuals and communities in the UAE and the region.

The Center for Genomic Discovery will reportedly seek to engage undiagnosed pediatric patients with suspected hereditary disorders whose clinical genomic testing at Al Jalila Childrens such as whole-exome sequencing and chromosomal microarrays failed to identify any definitive genetic causes.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

The launch of the centre coincides with the formation of the board of the Emirati Genome Program, whose mission is to provide preventive and personalised healthcare for the Emirati population.

Headed by His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, the Emirati Genome Program is reportedly being designed to enable precise and customised medical treatment that will support a more robust healthcare system in the UAE.

MBRUs Sharif is a member of the board.

Meanwhile, AJCSH has also announced it is to formulate a steering group to study the workflow of genome sequencing in an intensive care setting. The hospital has partnered with Illumina Netherlands BV to develop this practical knowledge improving the use of testing, and fostering greater understanding of best-use cases, clinical indicators and the health economics of genome sequencing in this specialised setting.

There is increasing evidence for rapid, efficient and cost-efficient genome sequencing in newborns and babies that will save lives, said Mohamed Al Awadhi, COO of AJCH. The application of next-generation sequencing has revolutionised the process of making complex diagnoses in paediatric medicine, significantly shortening the time for accurate diagnosis and optimal clinical management in critically ill children.

Thanks to the support of our partners and stakeholders, this working group will once again push the boundaries in the quest to save young lives.

ON THE RECORD

This is a major development for Dubai and the UAE, said Ahmad Abou Tayoun, Director of Al Jalila Childrens Genomics Center and Associate Professor of Genetics at MBRU. The new Center leverages the clinical, genomics, and functional research infrastructure and human resources at Al Jalila Childrens and MBRU to propel interdisciplinary activities.

Our clinicians and researchers are experts in their respective fields who can help resolve undiagnosed patients with highly suspected inherited disorders. Furthermore, the Center will create a training and research site for Masters and Ph.D. students, as well as post-doctoral fellows at MBRU.

He added: Ultimately, the Centers main goal is to make novel genetic discoveries in the pediatric patient population in the UAE and the region, and leverage these discoveries to develop new diagnostic tools and uncover personalised pathways to restore normal phenotypes in affected patients.

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Center for Genomic Discovery launched in the United Arab Emirates - Mobihealth News

Genome sequencing has become a buzzword in the pandemic era, with scientists constantly trying to decode the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and its multiplying mutations. But it is the study of the human genome that has seen a breakthrough recently, possibly giving us the ability to read a complete genetic blueprint for building a human being. The Telomere-to-Telomere (T2T) consortium, an international team of scientists, claims to have finally decoded all of a persons DNA with no gaps and an unprecedented level of accuracy.In a recent preprint research paper, the T2T consortium discusses the first truly complete 3.055 billion base pair (bp) sequence of a human genome, dubbed T2T-CHM13. According to experts, whereas gene discovery once drove DNA sequencing, now the sequencing of entire genomes drives gene discovery. The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. Hence, it is essential that the scientific community be informed about the accuracy of this reference sequence. Yet, the existing reference sequences were far from complete.

Read more:
Explained: What a truly complete human genome means - Times of India

Company's Proprietary Multi-Technology Meta-Analysis Algorithm (MTMA) Enables Analysis of Multiple Disparate Microbial Genome Datasets from Diverse IBD Cohorts and Identifies Immune Regulatory Peptides with Therapeutic Potential

BRISBANE, Calif., June 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Second Genome, a biotechnology company that leverages its proprietary platform sg-4-sight and AI workflows to discover and develop precision therapies and biomarkers based on novel microbial genetic insights, today presented data demonstrating the use of its Multi-Technology Meta-Analysis (MTMA) Algorithm to identify microbial strains and peptides with therapeutic potential in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. The data were presented at the World Microbe Forum, a collaboration between the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) and several other societies, held virtually June 2024.

"As our foundational results demonstrate, Second Genome's big data and AI workflows integrating multiple advanced computational tools reveal unique microbial genetic insights that support our ability to refine our understanding of chronic diseases," said Karim Dabbagh, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Second Genome. "Our platform enables Second Genome to analyze large and complex clinical data sets, and to discover and develop precision therapies and biomarkers for heterogenous diseases where the microbiome plays an important role, such as IBD. This approach offers numerous advantages, including detection of microbial signatures consistent in multiple cohorts that we believe reflect the biologically relevant signals in human health and disease. We look forward to providing further updates on the programs resulting from this approach, including SG-2-0776 for the treatment of IBD, and the rest of our precision therapeutics and biomarker pipelines."

The study, which is the largest microbial genetic analysis conducted in IBD to date and aimed to identify microbial molecules that regulate T cell immunity, incorporated over 3,000 gut mucosal biopsy and fecal samples from 21 datasets and 15 clinical cohorts, including four Second Genome proprietary data sets. Using a uniform informatics pipeline to harmonize NGS metagenomics, 16S amplicon NGS and PhyloChip hybridization by mapping all data against the Company's proprietary StrainSelect reference database, the MTMA identified bacterial signatures and genes differentially abundant in IBD patients. These genes were used to generate compound libraries for screening to identify molecules that modulate T cell cytokines important in IBD.

Key results from the poster, "Novel Multi-Technology Microbiome Meta-Analysis in IBD Identifies Bacterial Peptides that Modulate IBD-Relevant T Cell Activity," included:

The novel MTMA algorithm is part of Second Genome's sg-4-sight drug discovery and development platform. More information about the platform's technology and capabilities can be found on the Company's website at https://www.secondgenome.com/development-platform. The poster presentation will also be made available on the Company's website at https://www.secondgenome.com/news/events.

About Second Genome

Second Genome, a biotechnology company that leverages its proprietary tech platform to discover and develop transformational precision therapies and biomarkers through clinical development and commercialization based on novel microbial genetic insights. We built a proprietary microbiome-based drug discovery and development platform with machine-learning analytics, customized protein engineering techniques, phage library screening, mass spec analysis and CRISPR, that we couple with traditional drug development approaches to progress the development of therapies and diagnostics for wide-ranging diseases. Second Genome is advancing deep drug discovery and biomarker pipelines with precision therapeutics and biomarker programs in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and cancer, with the lead programs in IBD and cancer expected to enter clinical development in 2022. We also collaborate with industry, academic and governmental partners to leverage our microbiome platform and data science. We hold a strategic collaboration with Gilead Sciences, Inc., utilizing our proprietary platform and comprehensive data sets to identify novel biomarkers associated with clinical response to Gilead's investigational medicines. For more information, please visit http://www.secondgenome.com.

Investor Contact: Argot Partners212-600-1902secondgenome@argotpartners.com

Media Contact: Argot Partners212-600-1902secondgenome@argotpartners.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/second-genome-presents-data-at-the-world-microbe-forum-demonstrating-application-of-its-computational-platform-sg-4-sight-to-identify-peptides-that-have-the-potential-to-modulate-t-cell-activity-in-inflammatory-bowel-disease-ibd-301316856.html

SOURCE Second Genome

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Second Genome Presents Data at the World Microbe Forum Demonstrating Application of its Computational Platform sg-4-sight to Identify Peptides that...

Today Genome Quebec announced the results of its Genomic Integration Program, Human Health Stream competition. Five McGill teams from a diverse array of fields were awarded funds, totaling nearly $1 million. One of the defining features of this program is the requirement that institutional applicants must also have an external non-academic partner, thus supporting program goals of stimulating the Quebec economy and encouraging the use of genomic technologies in the Quebec healthcare system.

For the past twenty years, genomic research has been a major activity in Quebec, and the expertise and leadership of McGill researchers have been a pillar of this growth, said Martha Crago, Vice-Principal, Research and Innovation, McGill University. This latest round of funding underlines the strength of our contributions to this field, as well as the breadth and depth of our intellectual community.

The following five projects were selected by Genome Quebec:

1. New software to screen antibiotics that act on RNA

Principal Investigator (PI): Maureen McKeague, Canada Research Chair in Genomic Chemistry, Tier II, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science

(Co-Application/Co-PI: Tony Mittermaier, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry)

Partner: Molecular Forecaster Inc.

Summary: Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is one of the top ten global public health threats facing humanity, but antibiotics that target bacterial RNA are an untapped strategy in part because of the lack of software options to accelerate their discovery. To address this problem, McGill researchers are collaborating with the Montreal-based company Molecular Forecaster Inc. to develop software that enables rapid virtual screening of new RNA-targeting antibiotics.

2. Antibody characterization through Open science

PI: Peter S.McPherson, Distinguished James Professor, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery and Anatomy and Cell Biology.

Partner: YCharOS Inc.

Summary: Antibodies are critical components of our immune system because they have the unique ability to recognize any other protein, human or viral, with great specificity. Scientists take advantage of this property to generate antibodies for research, as the antibodies can recognize any specific protein from complex mixtures of proteins such as those found in a human cell. This project aims to develop a third-party antibody characterization entity that uses standardized operating procedures to assess and compare antibody performance, which will enhance the reproducibility of scientific data.

3. Towards single-cell metabolomics: uncovering the metabolic heterogeneity and architecture of solid cancers

PI: Peter Siegel, Full Professor, Department of Medicine, Full Member, Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Research Centre, Associate Member, Departments of Biochemistry, AnatomyandCell Biology and Oncology

(Key Collaborator: Julie St-Pierre, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa)

Partner: Agilent Technologies Inc.

Summary: The field of Metabolomics is dedicated to studying and measuring cellular metabolism through information-rich technologies, such as mass spectrometry. While protocols that measure gene expression or protein levels have been adapted to single cell analysis, researchers currently can only measure metabolites within bulk cell populations or tissues. However, to understand complex phenotypes at the level of an individual cell, single-cell metabolomics methods are required. The overall objective of this project is to develop a workflow for the measurement of targeted metabolites at a single cell resolution in cancer cells.

4. Using Whole Genome Sequencing to Build a Bridge Between Human Exposure to Antimicrobial Resistant Foodborne Pathogens and the Resulting Burden of Disease and Associated Healthcare Costs: The Case of Chicken

PI: Paul J. Thomassin, Full Professor, Agricultural Economics Program, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

(Key Collaborators: Dr. Richard J. Reid-Smith, Veterinarian and Epidemiologist Public Health Agency of Canada; Dr. Jane Parmley is a veterinarian, epidemiologist, Associate Professor, Department of Population Medicine at the University of Guelph; and Dr. Eduardo Taboada, Genomic Epidemiology Research Unit, National Microbiology Laboratory).

Partner: Public Health Agency of Canada

Summary: The problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through the food supply chain is a national and international problem that has major negative health and economic implications. In 2018, resistant bacterial infections were responsible for over 14,000 deaths and had associated healthcare costs of $1.4 billion in Canada (CCA, 2019). The Public Health Agency of Canada and its partners have developed an integrated assessment model (iAM.AMR) which models the potential human exposure to resistant bacteria from the food supply chain. This project will integrate whole genome sequencing information into the iAM.AMR model to better estimate the human exposure to antimicrobial resistant bacteria and the costs associated with the AMR burden of disease from chicken consumption.

5. Assembly of a massive data set to train a predictor of a small molecules targeting RNAs

PI: Jrme Waldisphl, Associate Professor, School of Computer Science

Partner: Takeda Pharmaceutical

Summary: Ribonucleic acids (RNAs) is a broad, yet underexploited, class of drug targets. Up to 70% of our genome encodes for RNAs, but only a tiny fraction of current pharmaceutical molecules is targeting them. Mining this resource is a daunting task, however, far beyond the capacity of classical physics-based computational simulation tools traditionally used to identify new drug candidates. This project will use molecular docking software and massive experimental assays to build a comprehensive training set for our small molecule RNA binding predictor. The resulting software will be validated and exploited with commercial partner Takeda Pharmaceutical.

Gnome Qubecs mission is to catalyze the development and excellence of genomics research and promote its integration and democratization. It is a pillar of the Qubec bioeconomy and contributes to Qubecs influence and its social and sustainable development. The funds invested by Gnome Qubec are provided by the ministre de l'conomie et de l'Innovation du Qubec (MEI), the Government of Canada, through Genome Canada, and private partners. To learn more, visit http://www.genomequebec.com

Founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1821, McGill University is Canadas top ranked medical doctoral university. McGill is consistently ranked as one of the top universities, both nationally and internationally. Itis a world-renownedinstitution of higher learning with research activities spanning two campuses, 11 faculties, 13 professional schools, 300 programs of study and over 40,000 students, including more than 10,200 graduate students. McGill attracts students from over 150 countries around the world, its 12,800 international students making up 31% of the student body. Over half of McGill students claim a first language other than English, including approximately 19% of our students who say French is their mother tongue.

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Five McGill teams awarded funding in new Genomic Integration program - McGill Newsroom