Connecting specific gene changes to diseases

Proteins are molecules in our bodies. They do all kinds of jobs. They support us. Help us digest our food. Protect us from harmful bacteria and viruses. Pass messages. And many other things. Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center want to study proteins that pass messages. The proteins are like runners in a relay. The first person gets the baton. The baton is the message. The race starts. The first runner runs. Then hands the baton to the next person. The runners are proteins that pass the message along. They repeat this until the last person crosses the finish line. This is the message reaching the last protein. The message tells the last protein what to do. Genes contain the instructions for making each protein. We are all born with some changes in our genes. Most of these do not affect the proteins they make. But sometimes, they do. A gene change may affect a message carrying protein. This can affect how is passes the message. A common message tells cells to grow. If the last protein does not get this message, then the cell does not grow. Or if it keeps getting the message, the cell might start to grow out of control. Both can cause problems. Or diseases. Messages can also say “move your arm.” Or feel pain. Or make insulin. Scientists here will use BioVU to study message carrying proteins. They want to know more about how the proteins pass messages. They want to know about the link between these proteins and diseases. And if there is a link between gene changes that affect these proteins and diseases. They will look for people who have gene changes in message carrying proteins. Then they will check for any diseases. The goal is to find gene changes that may cause problems. Their results may help us learn more about message carrying proteins. And who may be at risk for getting certain diseases.