Center of Pharmacogenomics and Complex Disease Research
Scott R. Diehl,
Ph.D., Director
Center for Pharmacogenomics and Complex Disease Research
New Jersey Dental School, UMDNJ
Mail: MSB C-636, Office & Lab: NJ Dental School Rm. C815
185 South Orange Ave. Newark, New Jersey 07101-1709
Tel (973) 972-4253
Fax (973)972-0993
Email: diehlsr@umdnj.edu
Faculty
Scott R. Diehl, Ph.D., Professor of Oral Biology and
Center Director
Eli Eliav, DMD, Ph.D., Professor and Chair of Diagnostic
Sciences
Ching-Yu (Austin) Huang, Ph.D., Senior Computer
Scientist
Feng-Shun (David) Kuo, M.S., Senior Bioinformatics
Scientist
Tianxia Wu, Ph.D., Senior Statistical Geneticist
Staff
Dr. Austin Huang, Senior Computer Scientist
Dr. Tianxia Wu, Senior Statistical Geneticist
David Kuo, Senior Bioinformatics Scientist
William Iannuccilli, Laboratory Manager
Andrea Maes, Graduate Student
Agatha Nicolaou, Graduate Student
Graduate Students
Agatha Nicola, Ph.D., candidate, Biomedical Informatics,
School of Health Related Professions
Olga Korczeniewska, Ph.D., candidate, Graduate School of
Biomedical Sciences
The mission of the Center of Pharmacogenomics and Complex Disease Research is to utilize the wealth of information on Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) recently discovered in the human genome project to advance understanding of the etiologies of diseases and of differences among individuals in response to drugs and other therapies. Over 4 million SNPs have been identified and efforts are underway to fully characterize several hundred thousand of these to fully cover the diversity located within identified genes. These variants are of greatest interest because they are considered most likely to affect protein function, and so optimized assays are being developed and SNP allele frequencies determined in the major racial groups. This primary focus of the Center on genetic variation will be complemented by collaborators' expertise in gene expression, proteomics and other approaches.
The Center will employ advanced computation and bioinformatics tools and databases for the full range of project management including SNP selection and the acquisition and tracking of clinical, demographic, risk factor and biospecimen data. SNP genotypes will be assayed using advanced robotic systems and high-throughout detection systems capable of characterizing over 25,000 SNP genotypes per day. Center staff will be highly skilled and experienced in the complex, multivariate statistical genetic analyses required to fully utilize these data and can also assist collaborators with project designs. Collaborations are being developed with academic and private sector clinicians and basic scientists focusing on a wide range of diseases. Initial studies include oral and pharyngeal cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, periodontal disease, birth defects (cleft lip and palate), several forms of pain, and addiction to abuse of alcohol and tobacco. Collaborations will also include technology development aimed at increasing the speed and efficiency of SNP genotyping while retaining accuracy and lowering cost. It is anticipated that the Center will become fully operational at the end of 2004.