Trapping human genes

The Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and Haplogen GmbH have generated a library of haploid knockout human cells that, for the first time, allows for the systematic interrogation of gene function in vitro.¹ The partners are completing the library, although the collection already is available to the scientific community and is being used for Haplogen's internal drug discovery efforts.

In model organisms, gene inactivation has been a powerful approach to elucidate protein function. In particular, libraries of haploid yeast cells-with one gene inactivated per cell-have been invaluable to helping understand basic cellular processes, gene-gene interactions and gene-drug interactions...