Center for Translational Genomics and BioInformatics
DIRECTOR: Giorgio Casari
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR: Elia Stupka

After the completion of the human genome sequence, and as well many other model organism genomes, we entered a sort of new deal in life sciences taking advantage of innovative powerful technologies, such as deep sequencing machines, total gene expression, protein mass spectrometry and NMR and of recently discovered or rediscovered phenomena, such as microRNAs, epigenetic regulation, abundant untranslated transcripts. All these cooked together with powerful algorithms aimed at detecting functional relations among genes, proteins, pathways, disease conditions. The Center for Genomics, Bioinformatics and Biostatistics originates as an institutional initiative and follows this track. The CGBB actually bases on two components: research groups with established biological expertise already present in the institute, and computational biology scientist and groups, who are partly to be recruited. We reckon to complete this phase within the next few months. Notwithstanding, we are setting up platforms for Gene expression, Genetic analysis, Deep sequencing, Computational biology thanks to internal and external collaborations. A proteomics service is also being activated for the institute community.

The Center is being located in the core of Dibit2, the central building “Basilica”, on a 1500 sq.m. area and include, at present, 52 researchers.