Comparative Genomics
The Present and Future of Comparative Genomics
INNOVATORS
The first time two DNA samples from two different organisms were sequenced, comparative genomics was born. Scientists were extremely eager to compare the results to each other and find similarities within the samples. The first of these scientists interested in this field was Craig Venter. With the help of his close colleague Hamilton Smith and others working at the TIGR, which he founded in 1991, they successfully sequenced the first two genomes of living organisms and began to compare the results to each other and subsequently created a brand new study within genomics. Today, the TIGR has combined with three other organisations and is called the J. Craig Venter Institute (JVCI) in Rockville, Maryland and La Jolla, California. His work with comparative genomics opened the gateway to learning about similarities between organisms and the use of this information. Learn more about the JCVI at www.jcvi.org.
Craig Venter
Gerald M. Rubin
After successfully sequencing the entire genomes of the common fruit fly and the parasitic roundworm in 2000 and 1998, respectively, Rubin was the first to bring comparative genomics to the rest of the world with the publishing of his paper titled “Comparative Genomics of the Eukaryotes” and is regarded as the first to regard comparative genomics as its own independent study in the scientific field. He is the vice president of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) today and also serves as the executive director of the Janelia Farm Research Campus. Although Rubin’s scientific focuses have drifted away from comparative genomics as of recently, his contributions are without a doubt remarkable and lasting. Read more about Gerald M. Rubin at the HHMI website http://www.hhmi.org/scientists/gerald-m-rubin.
Comparative genomics has really come a long way and many new innovations have arisen from all the research that has been done by universities, great minds, and companies who see great potential. Also many products have emerged from further education of comparative genomics. This page honors those who have contributed much to the practice and the companies who have put the new knowledge to good use in our society.
INNOVATIONS
The tree of life project was started early in the 2000s as a way for genomic information to be organised, compiled, and used by the public with contributors to the website ranging from high-ranking biologists to students in the field and independent homemade biologists. Just like a public wiki page, it is fact checked and very extensive. The final goal of the site is to have compiled genomic and biological information from every species from all groups of life, living and extinct, and have them organised in a way to show the branching patterns of life. Visitors to the site can browse the hierarchy of life and learn about evolutionary characteristics and information about each group and species. Visit their website now at tolweb.org and learn about life’s ancestry.
Tree of Life Web Project
Comparative Genomics and Next Generation Sequencing (COGANGS)
COGANGS is a project headed by CLC Bio and is in the process of creating a high-tech software in the COGANGS engine that will compare genomes and analyse data to research the mystery of gene regulation. The data collected from the software will tell scientists what factors affect the regulation and to what extent each factor contributes. Information from this research can help locate important genes on a genome and innovate new pharmaceuticals, biofuels, government research, and the comparative genomics field as a whole. Visit the COGANGS website at cogangs.com.
OpGen
Optical Genetics or OpGen is a company that can sequence the genome of any person with their service MapIt® to be used for medical purposes or simply to satisfy curiosity about the service. They also have a software called Argus® that creates improved sequence assembly, very fast genomic comparisons, and characterization by genomic patterns. The comparisons found between one’s genes and other sequenced samples can find genetic abnormalities or treatable genetic disorders. This greatly affects the successful diagnosis and treatment of many disorders previously found to be untreatable. For more information, or if you want your genome sequenced, go to their site at opgen.com.
