----------------------------------------------------------------------- BIOINFORMATICS COLLOQUIUM School of Computational Sciences George Mason University ----------------------------------------------------------------------- High Resolution SNP Arrays, Looking beyond Haplotypes Jean C. Zenklusen, M.S., Ph.D National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute Neuro-Oncology Branch Tuesday, September 20, 2005 4:30 pm Verizon Auditorium, Prince William Campus Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) have been used in recent years in epidemiological studies to produce predictive haplotypes for affected individuals based in pedigree studies with affected families, and to identify regions where putative disease genes can be located. With the production of large scale SNP arrays, this type of work has been greatly facilitated. This type of arrays has also opened new applications for the use of SNPs that are independent of the availability of large, well characterized, familial sample collections. If one considers each individual SNP as an independent, location specific marker along the genome; then these large scale SNP arrays transform into a very powerful genotyping tool that allow for gene hunting, definition of common areas of copy number alterations, modeling of disease onset, progression and classification based on genomic changes. The challenge being faced today by most researchers using these large-scale arrays is the lack of bioinformatics tools to mine the wealth of information being produced. In this seminar we will give an overview of the technology along with some bioinformatics solutions to solve the analysis problems posed by the system. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Refreshments are served at 4:00 pm. Find the schedule and directions at http://www.binf.gmu.edu/colloq.html