Latest Kerstin Lindblad-Toh Stories

A novel gene associated with canine atopic dermatitis has been identified by a team of researchers led by professors Kerstin Lindblad-Toh, Uppsala university and Åke Hedhammar, SLU, Sweden. The gene encodes a protein called plakophilin 2, which is crucial for the formation and proper functioning of the skin structure, suggesting an aberrant skin barrier as a potential risk factor for atopic dermatitis. Details appear today in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics. Atopic dermatitis (or...

By studying the genomes of 29 mammals, scientists have gained greater understanding of how the human genome controls when and where specific genes are activated, as well as how they form proteins and how genetic mutations can lead to diseases. The study, which was led by Kerstin Lindblad-Toh of the US-based Broad Institute and Sweden's Uppsala University, included work from an international team of scientists, including those at the Human Genome Sequencing Center, the Baylor College of...

For centuries man has had a uniquely close relationship with dogs "“ as a working animal, for security and, perhaps most importantly, for companionship. Now, dogs are taking on a new role "“ they are helping in the hunt for genetic mutations that lead to diseases in humans."Dogs get very similar diseases to humans," said Kerstin Lindblad-Toh of Uppsala University in Sweden and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts. "If you ask a dog owner what...

An international research team led by scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard announced today the completion of a high-quality genome sequence of the domestic dog, together with a catalog of 2.5 million specific genetic differences across several dog breeds. Published in the December 8 issue of Nature, the dog research sheds light on both the genetic similarities between dogs and humans and the genetic differences between dog breeds. Comparison of the dog and human DNA reveals...