Hair Loss Gene Chip Study

Article by HairlossTalk.com

Merck Pharmaceuticals has approved a grant intended to fund a research team of dermatologists at Cornell University Medical Center in New York City in using a new technology to analyze and compare tissue found in a balding area of the scalp with tissue found in a hair bearing area of the scalp. The study will last approximately 1 year, and will make use of the expensive and not so widely used Gene Chip technology to run hundreds of thousands of comparative analyses between the two types of tissues on a genetic level. Using the recently completed human genome as the foundation for the analysis, this will be the first time someone has ever been able to compare and contrast the hundreds of thousands of genes in each type of tissue in such a short period of time, and come up with a comprehensive review of the major differences between the two. This study holds immense promise of finding a new way to inhibit hair loss, or reverse the process entirely.

HairlossTalk Interviewed one of the approving members of the board, Dr. Marc Avram.

First ever Study on Hair Loss using Gene Chip Technology

HairlossTalk - Could you tell us about the Grant given to you by Merck?

Avram: Our team came up with an idea for a research project on hair loss, and Merck has granted funding for the project, typically enough to cover the gathering of the necessary data. When I was training, I did basic research in the lab with this type of thing, but now what I'm mainly doing is in the office with various surgical procedures.

So with this project, we're basically going to be taking tissue from an area of the scalp that is balding, and then take some tissue from an area of the scalp where men typically retain their hair, as you know, in the back of the scalp. And what's come along is this fairly new technology in terms of being able to "scan" genes. As you know a few weeks ago they announced the mapping of the entire human genome. What we're going to do is take the tissue from the balding area and take the tissue from the hair-bearing area and then run it through this new technology called a Gene Chip. There are only a couple companies around the country that do this, and it is very expensive, but what it can do is it can scan tens of thousands of genes. This is one of the first times this has ever been done on hair tissue like this, and we are excited to see exactly what "lights up" in the scanning process.

HairlossTalk - Could you elaborate on Merck's involvement in this project?

Avram: I like doing studies, and our hospital affiliation is with Cornell University Medical School in New York City. There is a dermatologist there who does mainly basic research, and I am one of the people responsible for helping to get the grant from Merck for the project. The people with the various specialties on the team will be performing the various rolls on the project. If we find something, that of course will be great for Merck, and yes great for me because it would be great to present at meetings! It's kind of a long grant we wrote for this. We had to write dozens and dozens of pages, and it had to make scientific sense, it goes before a scientific committee, and they decide whether or not this is an idea that seems interesting. Just like if we were to apply to the NIH (National Institute of Health) which is the major government funder for basic research in the country, its the same thing with Merck. Its not like "Oh we know you, we think you're a nice person, and here's the grant". This thing had to make sense.

HairlossTalk - So basically you put a plan together with a team of other people, and presented it to Merck...

Avram: What they do is they grant the money, and the data that we get from the trials is published, and what is potentially useful for them is if we happen to find something that's interesting therapeutically for them. In that sense, it could be beneficial for them. If we find a gene that hasn't been found before, then all of a sudden, maybe someone at Merck can use that information in establishing a better treatment for hair loss. If we somehow found a cure, then yes, that's great for Merck, but I think they're looking at this moreso as a method by which to obtain some new and interesting data for them to work with.

HairlossTalk - How long is this project expected to be, in duration?

Avram: 1 year. It's going to take us about that long to get the information necessary. We need to gather the tissue, send it to the lab, get it screened out, analyze the data, its about a year.

HairlossTalk - What kind of expectations does Merck have for this project considering they've made a financial investment in it?

Avram: Well, none of the participants are being directly paid by Merck for the research. Merck is funding the grant purely to cover the expenses for the research, and consequently will have the information obtained from it to either fund a larger hair loss project, or to take what we've found and run with it.

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