Researchers from ESAT-SCD (Engineering Sciences) and the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) have developed ENDEAVOUR, a computer program that compiles and processes data from a variety of databases and identifies the genes that play a key role in a particular genetic disease.

Drawing on various databases, ENDEAVOUR gathers all the data about genes that are known to be connected with a disease or a biological process and integrates these data into a mathematical model. With the aid of this model, scientists study the similarities between the 'known genes' and genes whose biological function is not yet known. ENDEAVOUR then indicates whether these genes might possibly underlie a certain disorder.

Using the computer program, the developers tried to identify a gene that plays a role in a genetic disorder called DiGeorge syndrome, a rare congenital condition characterized by heart defects and abnormal facies among other symptoms. The computer program identified one possible disease gene, YPEL1, the lack of which was also confirmed in zebra fish models to manifest the disease.

ENDEAVOR may be downloaded here or here.

[Source: VIB: Scientists develop ENDEAVOUR, a computer program for identifying disease genes (pdf file)]