Fighting Diseases With Genome Analytics
High-throughput sequencing to understand the human genome has revolutionized how scientists study physiopathology: the advent of “big data” has allowed them to use bioinformatics not only to harness, but to generate knowledge that is indispensable to the discovery of new personalized disease treatments.
Thanks to this technological leap, researchers who once studied the influence of individual genes are now studying the complex gene networks that interact with multiple external factors. The volume and complexity of the data have dramatically increased, so we need more sophisticated analysis and approaches to advance our understanding of human diseases. In this multi-dimensional “omics” information era, mathematics and computer sciences are essential tools.
Dr. Touati Benoukraf, Canada Research Chair in Bioinformatics for Personalized Medicine, is combining mathematics, computer sciences and molecular biology in his study of the integration of epigenetics and microbiomics dimensions of patients’ genomic information. He and his research team are looking to discover new mechanisms involved in disease development and drug resistance.
Their research will increase our knowledge and expand our use of individual “omics” profiles. Ultimately, their goals are a better understanding of disease mechanisms and the discovery of targeted and personalized treatments.