June 2007

GW Pushes Frontiers of Systems Biology

By Jamie L. Freedman

Putting the pieces together is the name of the game in the emerging field of systems biology. An interdisciplinary team of GW scientists, led by Professor of Physics Mark E. Reeves, is poised to make substantial contributions to the rapidly expanding discipline, thanks to a special endowment payout by the Board of Trustees.

The three-year grant—spotlighting systems biology as a new GW signature program—aims to advance understanding of disease with a focus on a systems biology approach to the problem of protein-activated cancer in cells infected by the human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-1). “We’re investigating the molecular phenomena that underlie and control complex biological systems such as host-virus interactions,” says Reeves, principal investigator of the team, which includes molecular biologists, biophysicists, computer scientists, and biochemists.

The group—operating under the umbrella of the Keck Institute for Proteomics Technology and Applications—comprises three co-investigators and five participants spanning six GW departments. “Our team has expertise with complex biological systems, molecular detection technology, and computational modeling as demonstrated by a strong funding history and an internationally respected publication portfolio,” says Reeves, who has served as a GW professor since 1993.

“The opportunity exists at GW to create a first-of-its-kind model that uses our knowledge of microscopic molecular interactions between proteins and DNA to describe the mechanism of viral-induced cancer in predictive, quantitative terms.”

Reeves’ co-investigators bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the project. Fatah Kashanchi, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and world-recognized expert in HIV and HTLV biochemistry, will head up efforts to efficiently screen the entire genome utilizing a technique known as ChIP-Chip assay.

Computational genomics and proteomics expert Liliana Florea, assistant professor of computer science, who recently came to GW from Celera Genomics, will lead the way on the creation of a computational model of the HTLV-I host-pathogen system. Akos Vertes, professor of chemistry and principal investigator on the Keck Foundation-funded protein microscope project, brings his expertise in mass spectrometry to the project.

“Systems biology utilizes a holistic approach to studying the relationships and interactions between various parts of a complex system, so it’s particularly inspiring to me that the Board of Trustees funding has allowed scientists from different departments and fields to come together and bring the strengths of our various disciplines to this important problem,” says Reeves. “The funding gives us the resources that we need to convert our enthusiasm and ideas into tangible research that will make a difference to our understanding of cancer and virus-host interactions.

“Cancer research and virology are fields of national importance,” says Reeves. “Over 20 million individuals globally are infected with the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1, which causes adult T-cell leukemia in 5 percent of infected individuals. How the infection progresses to malignancy is not well understood, but we know it involves Tax, a unique viral, cancer-inducing protein. Using Tax as a model system, we plan to use a systems biology approach to understand how cancers develop.”

Reeves expressed hope that the research will help create a more personalized approach to treatment. “Eventually we’ll be able to look at people’s DNA and predict if and when they will get leukemia and what drugs will work best for them,” he says. “This is a new area for all of us, and the funding will enable us to establish a foothold and place a GW stamp on this exciting field.”

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