Gene targeting systems
A major problem of modern systems biology is that gene functions need to be tested for their in vivo function. For instance, we and other GEN-AU groups have and will identify a multitude of genes in microarrays in different species, functional cell line screens, in vivo Drosophila screens, or via bioinformatics. Such genes are predicted to control processes such as cancer, metabolism, or inflammation. We therefore have to design experiments to elucidate whether the identified genes or respective genetic mutations are indeed physiologically relevant and/or contribute to the pathogenesis of disease. Conventional gene targeting approaches take month and years, a factor that seriously limits mouse genetics as a tool for large scale genome analysis. We will therefore attempt to establish and develop cutting edge technologies for targeted gene changes in embryonic stem cells that can be utilized for large scale and high-throughput genome research.
