• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News Health

A new DFG Research Unit for rare genetic diseases

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
April 4, 2019
in Health
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram

How can we improve the identification and prompt diagnosis of genetic diseases? A new Research Unit at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin will set out to identify and reliably interpret important non-coding sections of our genomes in the hope of finding the diagnosis for unsolved diseases. The researchers’ objective is to develop software capable of analyzing whole-genome data in the clinical setting. The Research Unit, which is being funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), will receive approximately €3.5 million over a period of three years.

Only about three percent of our DNA encodes the genetic blueprints needed for protein synthesis. These protein-coding sections of DNA are referred to as ‘genes’. The remaining 97 percent of our genetic information consists of non-protein-coding DNA sequences, the precise function of which is not yet fully understood. While some of these sections are known to regulate the activity of protein-coding genes, the precise gene sequences and processes involved remain largely unknown. It is precisely this gap in our knowledge which the new Research Unit hopes to address. Led by Prof. Dr. Markus Schülke of Charité’s Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, the researchers hope to improve our understanding of non-coding DNA sequences with a view to speeding up the diagnosis of patients with unexplained rare genetic diseases. Efforts to date have focused solely on protein-coding sections of the DNA. As a result, current gene sequencing techniques are only capable of identifying approximately 50 percent of disease-causing genetic changes. Mutations in non-coding or regulatory DNA sequences are overlooked.

The interdisciplinary Research Unit will see medical specialists work alongside experts from the fields of genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, structural biology and bioinformatics. Their goal is to take the next step towards practicable solutions for the diagnosis of rare genetic diseases – the reliable interpretation of results obtained via whole-genome sequencing. However, while this technology is capable of determining the three billion base pairs that make up our genome, it is not yet suitable for use in clinical practice. This is partly due to the enormous amount of non-coding DNA, as well as our relative dearth of knowledge about them, which makes it difficult for us to interpret genetic changes in the largest part of the human genome.

“The aim of our new research collaboration is to enhance our understanding of gene regulation and gene transcription, in addition to developing a freely accessible, user-friendly software for whole-genome sequencing data analysis. Use of this software should be possible even in the absence of any specific prior knowledge in bioinformatics. We hope our research will help move whole-genome analysis closer to the patient’s bedside and, as a result, deliver a diagnosis to our patients,” explains Prof. Schülke, who is also a Research Group leader at the NeuroCure Custer of Excellence.

The new Unit will study genome data collected from groups of patients with congenital disorders affecting thyroid and musculoskeletal development. Based on these data, the researchers will develop algorithms and general rules for the interpretation of non-coding gene sequences which will also be suitable for use with other disorders.

###

DFG Research Units

The DFG Research Unit program provides funding to outstanding researchers wishing to collaborate closely on a specific subject. The program supports research endeavors which, in terms of thematic reach, duration, and costs, go well beyond the scope of the DFG’s individual grants programs. Research Units often contribute to the development of new research directions. Charité’s new DFG Research Unit will receive funding for an initial period of three years. Funding may be extended for a further three years, subject to the approval of renewal proposals.

Links:

DFG Research Units:
https://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/programmes/coordinated_programmes/research_units/index.html

Research Groups at Charité:
https://www.charite.de/en/research/charite_research/research_projects/german_research_foundation_dfg/research_groups/

Media Contact
Dr. Markus Schülke
[email protected]
https://www.charite.de/en/service/press_reports/artikel/detail/neue_dfg_forschungsgruppe_zu_seltenen_genetischen_erkrankungen/

Tags: BiologyEndocrinologyGene TherapyGenesGeneticsMedicine/HealthMicrobiologyMolecular Biologyneurobiology
Share13Tweet7Share2ShareShareShare1

Related Posts

blank

Two-Step Lewy Body Detection via Smell and CSF

August 5, 2025
blank

CT Scans: Raised Arms Improve Clavicle Age Estimates

August 5, 2025

Two Decades of Flow Cytometry Advancements

August 5, 2025

How Parent-Child Bonding Affects Teens’ Social Media Addiction

August 5, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • blank

    Neuropsychiatric Risks Linked to COVID-19 Revealed

    72 shares
    Share 29 Tweet 18
  • Overlooked Dangers: Debunking Common Myths About Skin Cancer Risk in the U.S.

    61 shares
    Share 24 Tweet 15
  • Predicting Colorectal Cancer Using Lifestyle Factors

    46 shares
    Share 18 Tweet 12
  • Dr. Miriam Merad Honored with French Knighthood for Groundbreaking Contributions to Science and Medicine

    47 shares
    Share 19 Tweet 12

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Two-Step Lewy Body Detection via Smell and CSF

Bacterial Diversity Across Developmental Stages of Anopheles subpictus

CT Scans: Raised Arms Improve Clavicle Age Estimates

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.