Firm in alliance with U.S. lab to explore proteins

["Sandy Perle" <sandyfl@earthlink.net>]

Firm in alliance with U.S. lab to explore proteins

CHICAGO, July 26 (Reuters) - A California biotechnology firm, that 
hopes to turn the map of the human genome into useful drugs, said on 
Wednesday it will build a facility at a U.S. laboratory to take 
advantage of the lab's powerful X-rays. 

``The next step in going from human genome sequence to new drugs is 
to understand the function of the encoded proteins,'' said George 
Poste, chairman of privately-held Structural GenomiX. 

``The ability to determine the structure of these proteins is a 
critical component of that process,'' Poste said in a statement 
announcing a memorandum of understanding between the San Diego-based 
company and the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory in 
suburban Chicago. 

The facility, to be completed next year at an undisclosed cost, is 
called a dual undulator beamline. 

The company explained the beamline focuses intense X-ray beams 
produced by the lab's synchrotron to produce images of thousands of 
proteins and potential drug targets with atomic-level precision. 

The mapping of the human genome, recently announced with great 
fanfare, was the initial step in creating cures for many diseases 
that have a genetic blueprint, scientists say. The DNA in genes 
dictates the production of proteins by cells, which provide the 
engines for life. 

Argonne's synchrotron, also called the Advanced Photon Source, is 
currently the most brilliant source of radiation in the United 
States. The lab, located just outside Chicago, is run by the 
University of Chicago for the government. 

``Today's agreement is recognition that the Department of Energy's 
world class facilities are essential to advancing the next phase of 
genomic research,'' Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson said in a 
statement. 

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Sandy Perle					Tel:(714) 545-0100 / (800) 548-5100   				    	
Director, Technical				Extension 2306 				     	
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Division		Fax:(714) 668-3149 	                   		    
ICN Biomedicals, Inc.				E-Mail: sandyfl@earthlink.net 				                           
ICN Plaza, 3300 Hyland Avenue  		E-Mail: sperle@icnpharm.com          	          
Costa Mesa, CA 92626                                      

Personal Website:  http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/1205
ICN Worldwide Dosimetry Website: http://www.dosimetry.com

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