Mildred Dresselhaus, director of DOE's Office of Science, and Lura Powell, PNNL director, said the proposed lab would mark the next phase of the highly touted Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory. PNNL, one of nine DOE labs around the country, is being targeted for the next phase of human genome research for a few reasons. One is the success of EMSL, which boasts some of the best nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy equipment in the world. But top-notch equipment isn't the only reason Richland could become a world leader in human genome research. The lab is also the place where scientists have already made a significant start on the post-genome field of research known as proteomics.
Proteomics is the automated, large-scale study of how proteins work.
It will require years of research and computer equipment far more powerful than anything currently available. Dresselhaus has indicated the lab will join DOE's prestigious Joint Genome Institute, which serves as the central research arm for genomics research. Copyright 2000 Tri-City Herald. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.