4th December 2000
Genome exploitation to benefit from co-operation between
Daresbury and leading Japanese Institute
Essential work to further exploitation of the human genome will be advanced as a consequence of the signing of a collaborative agreement between the Daresbury Laboratory and the Japanese RIKEN Harima Institute this evening.
The Daresbury Laboratory and the RIKEN Harima Institute, who operate the Spring-8 synchrotron light source, are two of the world's leading synchrotron laboratories. They are signing a formal agreement to collaborate on research into the biomolecular and physical sciences and also to exchange knowledge through visits, joint symposia and mutual use of each other's facilities.
One of the first areas to benefit could be structural genomics, which will be a key part of exploiting the knowledge of the human genome sequence revealed earlier this year. Each gene in the sequence contains the information needed to make a protein that performs an essential biological function. The sequencing of the human genome opens up the possibility of discovering which genes relate to which illnesses or biological functions. X-rays from synchrotron light sources will be critical in revealing the structure of the proteins that these genes 'make', and so will open up the possibility of alleviating illnesses caused by defects in our genetic make-up.
The
agreement was signed by Dr F Sakauchi, Director of the RIKEN Harima Institute,
and Dr Hywel Price, Director of the Daresbury Laboratory.
For more information please contact: Tony Buckley - Public Relations, CLRC and Press Officer, DL