Research interests

Our research interesets include investigating the relations between biosequences and their structural, functional properties as well as phenotypic involvement. Analysis of such relations requires the investigation of the individual DNA, RNA, and protein sequences, but it also involves whole genome, transcriptome, and proteome analysis. The Bioinformatics research group is integrated in the divsion of Genetics and Bioinformatics (IBHV) and is involved in bioinformatic analysis related to animal genomics.

A main area is using the pig as a model animal where we are interested in searching genes or gene interactions with relevance for human. Whereas protein coding genes are fairly conserved human down to nematodes, the amount of non-coding sequence in the genome is much larger in higher organisms in eg. nematodes. As almost all of genome is transcribed, this can given rise to the role regulatory role of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) genes and their relation to mild phenotypes. Furthermore it is already known that RNA is involved in a huge number of regulatory processes in the cell, and many of these mechanisms involve the RNA structure. A Key interest is therefore to conduct RNA structure prediction and analysis as this can be used to point towards novel ncRNA genes. [More background.]