- Email: [email protected]
The industrialisation of neuroscience
In Context
On reflection The industrialisation of neuroscience
For 1000 genome project see http://www.1000genomes.org/
See In Context page 382
In many ways, the Human Genome Project set the agenda for biological research in the 21st century. Increased communication and data sharing undoubtedly made the transition from small-scale research projects to worldwide collaborations possible, but so too did automation. On Jan 22, 2008, the next stage of the sequencing project was announced—the 1000 Genomes Project. This is “an ambitious effort that will involve sequencing the genomes of at least a thousand people from around the world to create the most detailed and medically useful picture to date of human genetic variation”. Amazingly, the project will only cost US$30–50 million, and during its 2-year production phase will deliver sequence data at an average rate of 8·2 billion bases per day, the equivalent of more than two human genomes every 24 h. Gil McVean, one of the co-chairs of the consortium’s analysis group, estimates that the 1000 Genomes Project “will generate 60 fold more sequence data over its 3-year course than have been deposited into public DNA databases over the past 25 years”. Neuroscience is also benefiting from advances in robotic technologies. Much of the data produced by the Allen Institute for Brain Science has been generated with automated techniques that produce consistent and reproducible data sets. Furthermore, many independent companies now offer high-throughput screening facilities or automated anatomical staining at reasonable prices. The Blue Brain Project researchers pay companies to produce some of the data that feeds into their computer simulation of the rat somatosensory cortex; they also use automated technologies in their own laboratories. For example, they have a robotically powered rig that continuously collects data from patch-clamp experiments on Chinese hamster ovary cells genetically modified to express different ion channels. The robot can record the electrophysiological responses of the ion channels to various agonists and antagonists. A decade ago, this sort of experiment would have been done, far less efficiently, by armies of PhD students, postdocs, and research assistants. Automated technologies like this are surely a sign of things to come, which must be a good thing: perhaps it will mean that young researchers will have more time to think and learn about the human brain rather than spending mindless hours sitting in front of a patch-clamp rig. Am I jealous of the latest generation of neuroscientists? Too right I am!
James Butcher [email protected]
386
Ten most wanted February, 2008 1
Vascular cognitive impairment (Review, March) Moorhouse P, Rockwood K. Vascular cognitive impairment: current concepts and clinical developments. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 246–55.
2
Intracranial haemorrhage (Review, March) Kidwell CS, Wintermark M. Imaging of intracranial haemorrhage. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 256–67.
3
Environment and MS (Review, March) Ebers G. Environmental factors and multiple sclerosis. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 268–77.
4
Intense immunosuppression in rapidly worsening MS (Review, February) Boster A, Edan G, Frohman E, et al. Intense immunosuppression in patients with rapidly worsening multiple sclerosis: treatment guidelines for the clinician. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 173–83.
5
Neuromyelitis optica (Review, September) Wingerchuk DM, Lennon VA, Lucchinetti CF, et al. The spectrum of neuromyelitis optica. Lancet Neurol 2007; 6: 805–15.
6
Neuroimaging in cognitive impairment (Review, February) Small GW, Bookheimer SY, Thompson PM, et al. Current and future uses of neuroimaging for cognitively impaired patients. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 161–72.
7
Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis (Position Paper, August) Dubois B, Feldman HH, Jacova C, et al. Research criteria for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease: revising the NINCDS–ADRDA criteria. Lancet Neurol 2007; 6: 734–46.
8
Genetics of epilepsy (Review, March) Helbig I, Scheffer IE, Mulley JC, Berkovic SF. Navigating the channels and beyond: unravelling the genetics of the epilepsies. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 231–45.
9
Parkinson’s disease (Leading Edge, March) Parkinson’s disease: a European approach. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 191.
10 SPACE study subanalysis (Articles, March) Stingele R, Berger J, Alfke K, et al. Clinical and angiographic risk factors for stroke and death within 30 days after carotid endarterectomy and stent-protected angioplasty: a subanalysis of the SPACE study. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 216–22. The ten most wanted Lancet Neurology articles downloaded from ScienceDirect in February, 2008.
http://neurology.thelancet.com Vol 7 May 2008
On reflection The industrialisation of neuroscience
For 1000 genome project see http://www.1000genomes.org/
See In Context page 382
In many ways, the Human Genome Project set the agenda for biological research in the 21st century. Increased communication and data sharing undoubtedly made the transition from small-scale research projects to worldwide collaborations possible, but so too did automation. On Jan 22, 2008, the next stage of the sequencing project was announced—the 1000 Genomes Project. This is “an ambitious effort that will involve sequencing the genomes of at least a thousand people from around the world to create the most detailed and medically useful picture to date of human genetic variation”. Amazingly, the project will only cost US$30–50 million, and during its 2-year production phase will deliver sequence data at an average rate of 8·2 billion bases per day, the equivalent of more than two human genomes every 24 h. Gil McVean, one of the co-chairs of the consortium’s analysis group, estimates that the 1000 Genomes Project “will generate 60 fold more sequence data over its 3-year course than have been deposited into public DNA databases over the past 25 years”. Neuroscience is also benefiting from advances in robotic technologies. Much of the data produced by the Allen Institute for Brain Science has been generated with automated techniques that produce consistent and reproducible data sets. Furthermore, many independent companies now offer high-throughput screening facilities or automated anatomical staining at reasonable prices. The Blue Brain Project researchers pay companies to produce some of the data that feeds into their computer simulation of the rat somatosensory cortex; they also use automated technologies in their own laboratories. For example, they have a robotically powered rig that continuously collects data from patch-clamp experiments on Chinese hamster ovary cells genetically modified to express different ion channels. The robot can record the electrophysiological responses of the ion channels to various agonists and antagonists. A decade ago, this sort of experiment would have been done, far less efficiently, by armies of PhD students, postdocs, and research assistants. Automated technologies like this are surely a sign of things to come, which must be a good thing: perhaps it will mean that young researchers will have more time to think and learn about the human brain rather than spending mindless hours sitting in front of a patch-clamp rig. Am I jealous of the latest generation of neuroscientists? Too right I am!
James Butcher [email protected]
386
Ten most wanted February, 2008 1
Vascular cognitive impairment (Review, March) Moorhouse P, Rockwood K. Vascular cognitive impairment: current concepts and clinical developments. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 246–55.
2
Intracranial haemorrhage (Review, March) Kidwell CS, Wintermark M. Imaging of intracranial haemorrhage. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 256–67.
3
Environment and MS (Review, March) Ebers G. Environmental factors and multiple sclerosis. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 268–77.
4
Intense immunosuppression in rapidly worsening MS (Review, February) Boster A, Edan G, Frohman E, et al. Intense immunosuppression in patients with rapidly worsening multiple sclerosis: treatment guidelines for the clinician. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 173–83.
5
Neuromyelitis optica (Review, September) Wingerchuk DM, Lennon VA, Lucchinetti CF, et al. The spectrum of neuromyelitis optica. Lancet Neurol 2007; 6: 805–15.
6
Neuroimaging in cognitive impairment (Review, February) Small GW, Bookheimer SY, Thompson PM, et al. Current and future uses of neuroimaging for cognitively impaired patients. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 161–72.
7
Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis (Position Paper, August) Dubois B, Feldman HH, Jacova C, et al. Research criteria for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease: revising the NINCDS–ADRDA criteria. Lancet Neurol 2007; 6: 734–46.
8
Genetics of epilepsy (Review, March) Helbig I, Scheffer IE, Mulley JC, Berkovic SF. Navigating the channels and beyond: unravelling the genetics of the epilepsies. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 231–45.
9
Parkinson’s disease (Leading Edge, March) Parkinson’s disease: a European approach. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 191.
10 SPACE study subanalysis (Articles, March) Stingele R, Berger J, Alfke K, et al. Clinical and angiographic risk factors for stroke and death within 30 days after carotid endarterectomy and stent-protected angioplasty: a subanalysis of the SPACE study. Lancet Neurol 2008; 7: 216–22. The ten most wanted Lancet Neurology articles downloaded from ScienceDirect in February, 2008.
http://neurology.thelancet.com Vol 7 May 2008