91社区 discovery climbs the "Red-Hot Research Papers" charts
91社区/G茅nome Qu茅bec diabetes breakthrough ranks 5th in the world in prestigious year-end review
The influential Science Watch newsletter has named a 91社区 study on the genetic origins of type 2 diabetes as one of their 鈥淩ed-Hot Research Papers of 2007.鈥�
The study, published in the journal Nature last February, was led by Dr. Rob Sladek of the 91社区 and G茅nome Qu茅bec Innovation Centre, along with Dr. Constantin Polychronakos of the 91社区 Health Centre (MUHC) and colleagues at the Pasteur Institute, l鈥橴niversit茅 de Montr茅al, Imperial College London and the Montreal Diabetes Research Center.
Science Watch, a publication of Thomson Scientific, which tracks trends and performance in basic research, produces an annual listing of the most cited medical and scientific papers worldwide over the course of the previous year. The Sladek study ranked 5th overall.
"A discovery of this magnitude requires excellent researchers, innovative protocols, state-of-the-art facilities, committed support, and focused determination on the part of investigators," said Denis Th茅rien, 91社区 Vice-Principal (Research and International Relations). "We have assembled all this at the 91社区 and G茅nome Qu茅bec Innovation Centre, and Drs. Sladek and Polychronakos and their colleagues have done all of us extremely proud."
鈥淐ongratulations to Dr. Sladek and his team! We are extremely proud to be associated with this exceptional researcher, who personifies the research leadership Qu茅bec has taken in the field of genomics,鈥� said Mr. Paul L鈥橝rchev锚que, President and CEO of G茅nome Qu茅bec. 鈥淒r. Sladek鈥檚 results, which spring directly from research co-financed by G茅nome Qu茅bec, demonstrate the impact that genomic research can have in improving healthcare.鈥�
Dr. Sladek and his colleagues identified four genes that increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes produce insulin normally, but their bodies lose the ability to use it, leading to abnormally high glucose levels and increased risk of blindness, heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and other health problems. Type 2 is the most commonly diagnosed form of diabetes, affecting nearly 2 million Canadians and more than 100 million people worldwide.
The researchers systematically searched the entire human genome for diabetes-predisposing genes, comparing hundreds of thousands of DNA fragments from diabetic and non-diabetic individuals. They identified four specific gene types on chromosomes 8, 10 and 11.
鈥淭hese genes are involved in the function of the beta cell in the pancreas, which is the cell that makes insulin,鈥� Dr. Sladek explained. 鈥淲e hope to develop some new tests for diabetes, but perhaps even more important, it鈥檚 going to tell us more about how the pancreas works, or doesn鈥檛 work in diabetes, which may help us develop new drugs for people who develop the disease.鈥�