Overview
Dr. William Kaufmann of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center studies genetic changes caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation that trigger the development of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. Three-dimensional visualizations of predicted protein-protein interactions help his research team view data in a way that makes it easier to spot important interactions and relationships in complex biological data. The research could lead to a better understanding of the causes of melanoma and offer new approaches for treatment.
This visualization shows protein interactions in yeast and worm protein structures and in a homologous human protein structure. The human proteins are displayed on the middle plane and link to yeast proteins on the bottom plane and to worm proteins on the top plane. All proteins are colored according to their biological functions with the color-functional module correspondence legend displayed at the top of the image. A comparative study of protein interaction networks in yeast and worms and their similarity to protein-protein interactions in humans is used to understand the series of interactions that take place among related genes that lead to mutations and the development of cancerous cells.
Overview
Dr. William Kaufmann of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center studies genetic changes caused by exposure to ultraviolet radiation that trigger the development of melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. Three-dimensional visualizations of predicted protein-protein interactions help his research team view data in a way that makes it easier to spot important interactions and relationships in complex biological data. The research could lead to a better understanding of the causes of melanoma and offer new approaches for treatment.
This visualization shows protein interactions in yeast and worm protein structures and in a homologous human protein structure. The human proteins are displayed on the middle plane and link to yeast proteins on the bottom plane and to worm proteins on the top plane. All proteins are colored according to their biological functions with the color-functional module correspondence legend displayed at the top of the image. A comparative study of protein interaction networks in yeast and worms and their similarity to protein-protein interactions in humans is used to understand the series of interactions that take place among related genes that lead to mutations and the development of cancerous cells.
Project Team
Hong Yi
Partner
Dr. William Kaufmann (primary researcher), UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
