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Leading genetic researchers gather in Moncton for symposium

(Moncton, August 25, 2006) – Genetic researchers from across Canada and the U.S. met here today to compare notes on how microarrays, a leading technology, are impacting research.

The researchers are taking part in the two-day Atlantic Microarray Symposium and Expo, hosted by the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (ACRI), located in Moncton. The second annual event wraps up this afternoon at the Delta Beauséjour Hotel.

Dr. Rodney Ouellette, CEO and Dr Miroslava Cuperlovic-Culf Research Scientist at the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (ACRI) with leading cancer genomics researcher Dr. John Weinstein (middle). Head of Genomics and Bioinformatics at the National Cancer Institute in the US, Dr. Weinstein was a keynote speaker at the Atlantic Microarray Symposium hosted by the ACRI.

A microarray is a slide or computer chip on which pieces of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) – or genetic code - have been affixed. Scientists use the slides or chips to screen biological samples for genetic sequences. This research can be used to help understand diseases at the cellular level.

“Microarrays are at the heart of a new era in personalized medicine,” said Dr. Rodney Ouellette, CEO and Scientific Director of the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute. “In cancer biology, they can help provide real-time answers, therefore more accurate diagnostics, influence therapeutic options and ultimately patient outcomes. We are thrilled to have these researchers here in Moncton to advance the understanding of this technology.”

A leading authority on cancer genomics, Dr. John Weinstein, Head of Genomics & Bioinformatics at the National Cancer Institute, located at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, spoke today at the symposium about novel cancer drug discoveries using the microarray technology.

Dr. Wan Lam, Senior Scientist at the BC Cancer Research Institute was another keynote speaker discussing the use of the technology in the identification of key genetic alterations in cancer.

Since microarray technology has broad applications in other sectors, the symposium convened prominent scientists who work in health research as well as other sectors, such as fisheries and agriculture.

About the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute.

Founded in 1998, the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute (ACRI) is the largest centre in Atlantic Canada dedicated to cancer research. The private, non-profit facility, located at the Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital in Moncton, N.B., combines research expertise in genomics and biomedical sciences with state-of-the-art technology. Scientists are working with partners in Canada and around the world to discover the genetic origins of cancer, develop new diagnostic tools and therapies to improve the outcomes of those affected by cancer and, ultimately, to find a cure for the disease. Researchers at ACRI’s Atlantic Microarray Facility have developed expertise in microarray technology, allowing them to examine how active thousands of genes are at any given time. ACRI also features a Clinical Division, where bench science meets patients’ bedsides. Research nurses work closely with physicians who conduct studies to compare the best-known treatments to promising new treatments they suspect will upgrade care to their patients.

For more information about the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, visit www.atlanticcancer.ca.

Media contact:
Françoise Roy
Director of Operations, Atlantic Cancer Research Institute
(506) 862-4221 (office); (506) 866-1686 (cell)