Biostatistics/Statistical Genetics Seminar Series Myra Samuels Biostatistics Lecture Thursday, March 28, 2002 4:30 PM West Faculty Lounge Purdue Memorial Union Dr. John Quackenbush Associate Investigator, The Institute for Genomic Research (TIGR), Rockville, Maryland will speak on Back to the Future: Integrating Expression with Genomic, Genetic, and Metabolic Data Abstract The advent of genome sequencing has produced us with a "parts list" comprised of the predicted genes for humans and other organisms. The ultimate goal of a genome project, however, is the elucidation of genes, their functions, and the metabolic pathways that underlie cellular metabolism and this remains a significant challenge. Most predicted genes cannot even be accurately assigned to functions. DNA microarray technology, developed in recent years, allows the generation of gene expression data on a genome-wide scale. While this technology promises information that can be used for deducing gene function, to date its application has been limited. However, when expression profiling is combined with genomic sequence data and traditional genetic approaches, the result can be a powerful new tool for assigning function to novel genes and identifying those that may be involved in human disease or other important biological processes.