[QBiC CDB Joint Seminar] Functional Genomics, Chemical Genetics, and Natural Products Discovery Center for Developmental Biology

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Category	Seminar
Date and Time	2017-01-10 15:00 - 16:00
Venue	Seminar Room A7F
Speaker	Kristin Gunsalus
Affiliation	York University
Title	[QBiC CDB Joint Seminar] Functional Genomics, Chemical Genetics, and Natural Products Discovery
Poster	click here to download(PDF)
Host	Shuichi Onami
Summary	Genetic interaction mapping and high-content phenotypic analysis provide a powerful means to characterize biological functions of chemical and genetic perturbations in living systems. We have developed mammalian cell-based assays and whole organism screens using the animal model C. elegans that we are using in a variety of applications. In our previous work we have performed genome-wide RNAi screens coupled with high-content profiling to identify genes that interfere with germline or embryonic development and analyze their cell biological phenotypes. We are now extending this work to pairwise genetic interactions in C. elegans to study how essential and non-essential genes work together to promote proper animal development and metabolic homeostasis. We have also developed panels of mammalian cell lines that allow us to monitor changes in multiple cellular compartments, the cytoskeleton, and signaling pathways using highcontent imaging. We are using both of these systems to identify novel bioactive molecules isolated from unique natural habitats in coastal marine areas. The combination of genetic and chemical perturbations with high-throughput and high-content phenotypic screens offers an opportunity to rapidly identify modes of action for unknown chemical compounds. We are applying these approaches to identify and characterize bioactive natural products as candidates for novel biological probes and potential therapeutic applications.