Functional genomics and biotechnology for health

Functional genomics is a post-genome science that looks upon the cell and its biochemical and pathophysiological phenomena as integrated systems. In this way it studies simultaneous and intertwining events and molecular switches in the network of interactions, with the aim to understand the complex biochemical mechanisms of pathologies. These may then be the basis for new diagnostic/therapeutic approaches and to develop new drugs with a more specific targeted action and without side effects. Our research was oriented to the molecular causes of individual pathologies, however at the same time iz opens the way for the search for potential common mechanisms. A large number of recent data indicates that apparently unrelated multifactorial diseases (for example cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and even psychiatric disorders), share common starting points such as defective metabolism, modified immune or inflammatory response, and disturbances of the circadian rhythm. The remarkable progress in high-throughput analytical methods has had a profound impact on biomedical research. The determined sequences of many genomes, including the human, upgraded molecular biology through functional genomics into systems biology or medicine. The huge amount of data derived from genomics requires a close cooperation between researchers who produce experimental data, and bioinformaticians who analyse and model the data. We are now beginning to understand human diseases as dynamic disturbances of complex and integrated genetic, molecular and cellular rhythmic networks, which are sensory and interactively connected to the environment. The shift from the traditional view on medicine and research, enabled by powerful post-genome technologies, is the fundamental driving force of our research. Through our research we will develop an integrated platform to study complex multifactorial diseases (from genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics to bioinformatical data analysis system) and the design of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The expertise and methodology will be made available to effectively address any complex disease, and possibly may become the starting point for new "spin-off" companies (nano-antibodies, diagnostic tools, therapeutics, bioinformatical analyses). Our scientific findings fall into the category of basic scientific knowledge in the fields of biochemistry, molecular biology, functional genomics and mathematical approaches. Taken together, all this leads to systems medicine, which will have a major impact on public health and economy in the next decade.

The program P1-0104 was held during three consecutive periods: 1999-2003; 2004-2008; 2009-2014. It connected research groups from the Faculty of Medicine (MF) and the National Institute of Chemistry (NIC) and was listed among the most successful programs in 2004 by ARRS. It introduced molecular diagnostics and genetic analysis into Slovenian medicine and forensics. It also held a long-term cooperation with the pharmaceutical company Lek and had a key role in the founding of the Sandoz Biopharmaceuticals center at Lek. This resulted with the first Slovenian process for biological drug production, which was in the period after 2009 applied to global manufacturing at Sandoz. The program is also the initiator of the Slovenian Network for Functional Genomics that set up a national infrastructure Centre for Functional Genomics and Bio-Chips. Research in the last period (2009-2014) was significantly shifted to the research of complex diseases, with novel approaches and scientific thinking, which would enable novel, comprehensive insights into risk factors, mechanisms of development and progression of complex pathologies. By discovery of new genetic associations and the role of molecular targets the program enables the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches and targeting drugs, and thus also their direct transfer to clinical practice. The improvement of approaches towards rational pharmacotherapy creates the ways for more patient-oriented medicine. New post-genomic thinking has also deep impact in education of medical doctors and scientists at the graduate and doctoral university studies.