National Biobank of Korea: Quality control Programs of Collected-human Biospecimens.

Personalized medicine is emerging as a main paradigm for risk prediction, pre-diagnosis, and effective prevention and treatment of disease. A large number of human biospecimens and their clinical data are essential resources for the success of personalized medicine as well as other biomedical research. The National Biobank of Korea (NBK) has collected well-annotated and high quality human biospecimens, and distributes them to the Korean biomedical scientists, through the Korea Biobank Project (KBP).

Meta-analysis identifies a MECOM gene as a novel predisposing factor of osteoporotic fracture.

Background: Osteoporotic fracture (OF) as a clinical endpoint is a major complication of osteoporosis. To screen for OF susceptibility genes, we performed a genome-wide association study and carried out de novo replication analysis of an East Asian population.

Methods: Association was tested using a logistic regression analysis.

DNA barcoding of fish, insects, and shellfish in Korea.

DNA barcoding has been widely used in species identification and biodiversity research. A short fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence serves as a DNA bio-barcode. We collected DNA barcodes, based on COI sequences from 156 species (529 sequences) of fish, insects, and shellfish.

A survey of diabetic educators and patients for the revision of korean food exchange lists.

Background: Food exchange lists are one of the main methods of nutritional education. However, Korean food exchange lists have not been revised since 1994. Therefore, we surveyed the opinions of diabetes educators and patients with diabetes regarding the need for revision of the current food exchange lists.

A DNA microarray for identification of selected Korean birds based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene sequences.

DNA barcoding with the gene encoding cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) in the mitochondrial genome has been proposed as a standard marker to identify and discover animal species. Some migratory wild birds are suspected of transmitting avian influenza and pose a threat to aircraft safety because of bird strikes. We have previously reported the COI gene sequences of 92 Korean bird species.

Web-based comprehensive information system for self-management of diabetes mellitus.

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a web-based comprehensive information system, consisting of Internet and cellular phone use, on blood glucose control.

Methods: We established eMOD (electronic Management of Diabetes), a web-based ubiquitous information system, for cell phone users along with a website for Internet users to provide diabetes education. We examined whether this information system has the same impact on glycemic control as conventional education for the diabetes patient.

DNA barcoding Korean birds.

DNA barcoding, an inventory of DNA sequences from a standardized genomic region, provides a bio-barcode for identifying and discovering species. Several recent studies suggest that the sequence diversity in a 648 bp region of the mitochondrial gene for cytochrome c oxi- dase I (COI) might serve as a DNA barcode for identify- ing animal species such as North American birds, in- sects and fishes. The present study tested the effective- ness of a COI barcode in discriminating Korean bird species.