Computational modeling by Garegin Papoian from Maryland helps spot cancer genesis in molecules

Computational model by Dr. Garegin Papoian from Maryland University is being used to spot cancer genesis in molecules.

Dr. Garegin Papoian, who leads the physical chemistry group in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, developed computational modeling of how proteins and DNA interact within cells.

“Many of these structures are shared between organisms and have a billion years’ evolutionary history. To put it simple, lots of ideas that you can learn from a mouse, you can directly translate to humans and vice versa”, the scientist said.

“When you want to make a car, first thing you do is design it on a computer. You even run it on a computer, and then when you see that everything is ok, you go on to make a prototype. We’re not there yet in biology, but that’s the vision for years to come for biology and medicine”.

Dr. Papoian’s recent works include studies with Dr. Yamini Dalal at the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Her group researches how DNA is packed in cells, and how particles called histones and nucleosomes modify the DNA in numerous ways. If they go into a wrong place in the DNA they may lead to cancer, But as yet, these processes are not visible under current microscopes’ resolution. Computational modeling helps to see this in 3D.

“Almost all of computing predictions proved out to be correct in the lab. This increases our credit to our model”, Papoian added.

Follow NEWS.am Medicine on Facebook and Twitter