Investigator Eugene Demidenko, PhD, of Dartmouth's Norris Cotton Cancer Center coined the term “Gene Rank,” or GR, to describe a new characterization of gene connectivity. The computer algorithm can be used to compare tissues across or within organisms at great speed with a simple laptop computer.
GR looks at genetic networks from a different angle that may lead to new biological insights and formulation of new scientific hypothesis with important clinical applications. Demidenko applied the GR concept to several cancer-related gene expression data sets and discovered that disconnected genes in tumors are cancer associated. Further investigation revealed that GR of the same gene changes during cancer development, and that this can be used for disease prognosis as well as early cancer detection.