Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026
14:42
Biology of Microbial Communities - Interview
Published on: May 28, 2007
Straight talk with...Stephen O'Brien. Interviewed by Elie Dolgin
Nature Medicine
|January 9, 2013
Summary
Stephen O'Brien established a new bioinformatics center in Russia, leveraging his expertise in genomics. This initiative aims to advance the discovery of novel therapeutics through comparative genomics research.
Area of Science:
- Genomics and Bioinformatics
- Cancer Research
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Stephen O'Brien, former head of the National Cancer Institute's Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, transitioned to a new role in Russia.
- He secured a significant research grant to establish the Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics at Saint Petersburg State University.
Discussion:
- O'Brien's research interests extend beyond cancer, including work on HIV resistance mutations (CCR5-Δ32) and cheetah population genetics.
- He is a co-founder of the Genome 10K project, an ambitious initiative to sequence 10,000 vertebrate species.
Key Insights:
- The establishment of the new bioinformatics center in Russia is poised to accelerate genomic research.
- Comparative genomics approaches are expected to play a crucial role in identifying new therapeutic targets.
Outlook:
- The center will foster international collaboration and advance the understanding of genetic diversity.
- Future research directions include the application of genomic data to develop novel medical treatments.
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