LAFAYETTE, Colo.-- The Genome-Wide RNAi Global Initiative (RNAi Global), an alliance of Dharmacon, Inc., and 14 leading international research centers pioneering the use of whole-genome RNAi screening, today announced progress toward its fundamental goal of developing internationally accepted standards for conducting research using the first complete siRNA library targeting genes across the entire human genome.

Genome-wide siRNA libraries have the potential to fundamentally change biological research and accelerate drug discovery and development. However, experience with previous breakthrough technologies has shown that intra- and inter-laboratory variations are common at the outset and can limit the ultimate utility of early results. The initial data presented at the second meeting of RNAi Global in Washington, D.C. in April demonstrated that without uniform standards, the results of experiments may not be comparable between laboratories.

"To accelerate generation of meaningful experimental output, twelve members of the RNAi Global Initiative conducted the same experiments using the same protocols in the most extensive multi-site comparative RNAi screen conducted to date," said William S. Marshall, Ph.D., vice president of technology and business development for Fisher Biosciences. "By comparing this large data set we were able to identify several critical areas of potential variation and the key information required for inter-laboratory experimental comparison. Understanding this inherent variation in research results is the principal reason Dharmacon took the unique step of forming a working consortium to develop the experimental parameters necessary to facilitate inter- and intra-laboratory comparisons."

Stefan Wiemann, Ph.D, Group Leader at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) added: "The absence of accepted research standards for the new tool of microarrays in the 1990's cost the life sciences research community many years of prog
'"/>

Contact: Stephen Gendel
sgendel@biocompartners.com
212-918-4650
Dharmacon, Inc.
24-May-2006

Page: 1 2
Related biology news :

1. Global community listens to TAU genetic researcher at EU Conference on Hearing Loss
2. Global warming is evaporating Arctic ponds, new study shows
3. Global heartbeat control suggests therapy for beating heart failure
4. Global survey of lizards reveals greater abundance of animals on islands than on mainland ecosystems
5. Global ocean sampling expedition
6. Global Nephrology gathers in Rio
7. Global study concludes attack rate of flu in kids is 55 percent lower with nasal spray vaccine
8. Global warming of the future is projected by ancient carbon emissions
9. Global warming is reducing ocean life, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide, say scientists
10. Global warming will reduce ocean productivity, marine life
11. Global malaria map key weapon in fight against malaria, scientists say