Briefs

NEW YORK, Feb. 14, 2002. The Korean Center for Functional Analysis of the Human Genome has produced a DNA chip specialized for genes derived from stomach tissues of Koreans, according to a story in a Korean newspaper on Wednesday.

The chip includes 14,000 genes derived both from stomach cancer cells and normal tissue.

According to the Korean Herald, the nation's Ministry of Science and Technology claims that this is the first DNA chip specialized for a particular ethnic group. The ministry is making the chip available to Korean researchers next month.

The genome center has previously identified 670 genes related to stomach and liver cancer, relying on commercially available chips with genetic data derived from other ethnic groups.

Stomach cancer is much more common in Japan and eastern Asia than in the US and Europe. Rates of stomach cancer among people of Korean or Japanese ethnicity in the US are three to five times higher than they are for Caucasians in America, native Americans, or Filipinos.

See www.genomeweb.com