From: Guenter Valet (valet@biochem.mpg.de)
Date: Tue Dec 16 2003 - 12:06:14 EST
Dear colleagues,
following earlier discussions on cytomics and
cytomes, the interesting idea of a Human Cytome Project
has recently emerged at:
http://news-reader.org/article.php?group=bionet.cellbiol&post_nr=14902
Further reading entries can be found through Google under
"human cytome project" as well as under:
http://www.cytomics.info/
http://www.biochem.mpg.de/valet/cytomics.html
http://www.biochem.mpg.de/valet/cellpot.html
http://www.ipd.anl.gov/biotech/programs/func-genomics
Considering the vision of the seventies where cytometrists
tried to automatically identify cancer cells by flow and image
cytometry, the new challenge of a Human Cytome Project extends
much further into the standardized molecular description of
assembled cellular systems in their full complexity under
normal and disease conditions
The fact, that the genome sequence as well as the structural
and functional knowledge on all coded biomolecules does
not allow by itself to assemble living cells, emphasizes the urgent
need for a more systematic molecular analysis of assembled cellular
systems by cell oriented approaches. These include flow and image
cytometry, advanced microscopy, the various kinds of cell oriented
molecular array technologies but also sophisticated bioinformatics
to build up standardized relational structures and to generate
something like a periodic system of cells and cell systems.
Cytomics, as cell and cell systems research will have a
central role in this effort. Starting with a microscopy
conference next year
http://www.focusonmicroscopy.org/2004/program.html
there may be the possibility to further brainstorm for those who
are interested at the upcoming ISAC meeting in Montpellier.
Besides the immediate scientific interest, it seems important
to bring the concept of a Human Cytome Project to the attention of
the funding agencies in the US, the EU (FP7 project) but also
elsewhere in an effort to obtain focused funding for this
international effort.
Best regards
G.Valet
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