Website: http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/medicine/units/biochem/research/mghd.html

Research involves

Using transgenic models to analyze gene functions and model human genetic diseases.

Research relevance

The research will provide a basis for understanding the causes of disease and for treatment evaluation.

Unlocking Gene Function

Now that the genomes of many organisms have been sequenced, the emphasis in genetics research has moved on to determining the gene functions encoded by these sequences. As the Canada Research Chair in Genetic Modelling, Dr. Hao Ding is applying the experience he has gained in a variety of fields (including gene regulation, molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, and medicine) to breaking new ground in understanding the world of gene function.

The genomes of mice are 99 per cent identical to those of humans. One of the most powerful ways to model a genetic disease in humans is to manipulate the level or properties of that gene's product in a mouse. Dr. Ding is generating transgenic mouse models that have been specifically and elegantly designed, and these models are offering key insights into genetic disease in humans.

In the past, Dr. Ding made important contributions in the fields of neuro-oncology and developmental biology, using transgenic approaches. He made several mouse brain tumour models that have been recognized as vital tools in understanding the development of brain tumours and characterizing new therapeutics for these diseases. He also made important discoveries regarding the functions of several genes-PDGF-C and two DNA helicase proteins. All of these genes are thought to have an important role in normal development and may be the cause of certain human conditions such as cleft palate.