An Integrated Analysis Of Gene Expression And Chromosome Copy Number In Malignant Mesothelioma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$421,697.00
Summary
Mesothelioma is an aggressive, asbestos related cancer which causes more than 20,000 deaths worldwide per annum. Mesothelioma is characterised by a long latency between exposure to asbestos and development of the disease, estimated to be between 20 and 40 years. As such, the peak number of cases of mesothelioma is not expected in Australia until 2010, as asbestos use reached its peak in the 1970-80's. In 2010, deaths from mesothelioma will be more common than ovarian cancer and melanoma. This st ....Mesothelioma is an aggressive, asbestos related cancer which causes more than 20,000 deaths worldwide per annum. Mesothelioma is characterised by a long latency between exposure to asbestos and development of the disease, estimated to be between 20 and 40 years. As such, the peak number of cases of mesothelioma is not expected in Australia until 2010, as asbestos use reached its peak in the 1970-80's. In 2010, deaths from mesothelioma will be more common than ovarian cancer and melanoma. This study aims to explore the molecular defects that are involved in initiation and progression of mesothelioma. Using array comparative genomic hybridisation, a technique which allows comparison of the DNA of normal cells with that of cancer cells, we will classify chromosomal changes in the cancer cell and identify candidate genes which are involved in mesothelioma development.Read moreRead less
This proposal uses the zebra fish system, which it is uniquely suited to investigate the regulation of disease genes. In all of these diseases preliminary work has already been performed and screening assays have been developed in a previous project (ZF-MODELS). In addition, the project will investigate genetic abnormalities of the eye and visual processing, genetic pathways underlying tissue regeneration and repair, and homologs of human genes related to diabetes and obesity, as well as infecti ....This proposal uses the zebra fish system, which it is uniquely suited to investigate the regulation of disease genes. In all of these diseases preliminary work has already been performed and screening assays have been developed in a previous project (ZF-MODELS). In addition, the project will investigate genetic abnormalities of the eye and visual processing, genetic pathways underlying tissue regeneration and repair, and homologs of human genes related to diabetes and obesity, as well as infectious disease and cancer. The Australian component will perform a systematic characterisation of enhancer elements of potential disease genes. This characterisation will build on the concept of genomic regulatory blocks (GRBs) which contain highly conserved non-coding elements (HCNEs) acting as long-range enhancers of developmental genes (recently discovered by T. Becker in the ZF-MODELS project).Read moreRead less