NIGMS Awards Grant to Case Western Reserve U

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) within NIH, has awarded a new five year $1.9 million grant to researchers at Case Western Reserve University to develop computer software to use to analyze and interpret complex genome data.

Analyzing and interpreting genome data is critical because it allows for the identification of individuals to be based on their unique genetic makeup, which has significant applications in personalized medicine and research.

Factors that make analyzing and interpreting genome data difficult:

• The overwhelming amount of data produced
• The genome's complexity and repetitive sequences
• The possibility of contamination
• Variations in individual genomes, gene expressions, and function
• The specialized knowledge needed to interpret bioinformatics profile alteration
• The difficulty in separating genuine biological signals from technical noise, especially when working with low quality or mixed genome samples

Hao Feng, Assistant Professor, Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine, is focused on creating new computer tools to study and break down complex genetic data into information on the different types of cells.

"When doctors collect samples from patients, the samples often contain many different cell types and when mixed together, makes it hard to analyze. Our research is now going to make it easier for scientists to understand how different cells behave, especially in diseases, such as cancer," according to Hao Feng.