A special supplement to the Cornell Chronicle, January, 1999
Research paves way to new biological era
By Roger Segelken
Scientific visionaries predict a not-so-distant future when the study of genes will be more rapid, more automated, more accurate. Nanotechnology will produce better biochips to sequence DNA, and supercomputer-based programs will pinpoint genomic landmarks in one one-hundredth the time of current techniques. Avalanches of data from genome projects will be more manageable, due to advances in computational biology and bioinformatics.
In the meantime, as the science of genetics morphs into a
broader, interdisciplinary study called genomics, Cornell researchers are laying the groundwork for this new era of biology by working out the fundamental details of genetic regulation and applying the best available techniques to the problems at hand. Although hardly comprehensive, here is a department-by-department sampler of relevant research at Cornell, starting with studies of the smallest organisms:
Researchers studying microorganisms, primarily in the Section of Microbiology, focus on prokaryotic physiology (such as the study of bacteria), molecular biology and diversity. In the sections of Genetics and Development and of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, researchers study gene structure, function, regulation and evolution, together with cell biology and development in a variety of organisms. Plant pathologists examine the molecular basis of plant-microbe interactions. Food science researchers study the molecular biology of organisms involved in production and safety of foods. Researchers in Chemical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Agricultural and Biological Engineering aim to understand and genetically manipulate various microbial processes, including those with potential for bioremediation.
In the plant realm, researchers are located in Genetics and Development, Boyce Thompson Institute, Geneva Experiment Station, Plant Pathology, Plant Breeding, Plant Biology and the L.H. Bailey Hortorium. Cornell is recognized as a world leader in the areas of genetic mapping, plant gene identification and quantitative trait analysis, plant evolution, molecular breeding and plant database development, as well as plant molecular biology, pathology and physiology.
The College of Veterinary Medicine has programs in basic and applied mammalian genetics, as well as the genetics of a wide range of parasitic organisms. Additionally, it sponsors active research programs in equine and canine genetics. These include inherited eye disease, such as progressive retinal atrophy in dogs as well as genetically determined neuromuscular and musculoskeletal diseases, such as the canine form of muscular dystrophy and the equine form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
The Division of Nutritional Sciences is recognized internationally as a leader in studying the etiology of human metabolic diseases that involve interactions of both genetic and nutritional components. Current research programs include the role of lipid metabolism, vitamin E and homocysteine in cardiovascular disease; the role of genetic predisposition, polymorphisms and nutrition in obesity, diabetes and birth defects; and the role of nutrients in gene transcription and cognitive development.
The Department of Animal Science is recognized as the United States leader in both the development and application of methods for extracting quantitative genetic information from large data sets for the study and improvement of animal populations. The department's data sets include large databases (up to 100 gigabytes) of dairy and beef cattle phenotypic data, and dairy and beef cattle pedigrees.
Section of Neurobiology and Behavior researchers use molecular genetic approaches in their neurophysiology studies of single-channel, synaptic and neural networks.
At the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College, genetic medicine studies focus on understanding the underlying causes of polygenic diseases, such as diabetes and cancer, and developing gene-based therapeutic strategies for the treatment of disease. The medical college was the first center to conduct gene-therapy trials for the treatment of coronary artery disease.
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