System and method for identifying disease-influencing genes

Abstract

A system and method for using individuals' behavioral and environmental information in conjunction with their gene sequences to find drug candidates and drug targets. Individuals designated as having a high risk for developing a particular disease are each given a remotely programmable apparatus. Queries related to the individuals' behavior and environment are sent from a server to the remotely programmable apparatuses. The individuals' responses to the queries and any physiological information are sent back to the server. The process of collecting individuals' information can take place over a period of time to ensure accurate data and to allow researchers to observe progression of the disease. A data mining program on the server analyzes the individuals' behavioral and environmental information, as well as their gene sequences.

1 . A method of organizing responses from a group of individuals comprising:
 (A) providing individuals having a risk factor for a disease with remotely programmable apparatuses, wherein each of said remotely programmable apparatuses contains information identifying one of said individuals to whom said apparatus has been provided;   (B) creating queries and predefined response choices corresponding to said queries regarding one or more of symptoms, behaviors or environments of the individuals;   (C) storing the queries and predefined response choices on a centrally accessible computing unit, wherein said queries and predefined response choices are accessible only to a particular one of said individuals to whom said queries and predefined response choices are directed;   (D) communicating a computer program containing the queries, predefined response choices and identification information associated with the queries and predefined response choices from the centrally accessible computing unit to the remotely programmable apparatus of at least one of said individuals, said remotely programmable apparatus having
 (1) a user interface (a) for communicating the queries and the predefined response choices to the individual and (b) for receiving responses including selected ones of the predefined response choices chosen by the individual in response to the queries, and 
 (2) a communications function for communicating with the centrally accessible computing unit through a communications network; 
   (E) communicating the selected ones of the predefined response choices chosen by the individuals, physiological data of the individuals, the identification codes associated with the queries and predefined response choices, and identification info/notion of the individuals from the remotely programmable apparatuses to the centrally accessible computing unit; and   (F) organizing the selected ones of the predefined response choices, the physiological data of the individuals, the identification codes associated with the queries and predefined response choices, and the unique identification codes of the individuals received from the remotely programmable apparatuses into a database regarding the symptoms, behaviors or environments of the individuals.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the queries and predefined response choices are scripted and assigned to each individual. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting new queries and predefined response choices from the centrally accessible computing unit to the remotely programmable apparatus identified with an individual based upon receiving the selected responses from the individual. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising repeating the method with the new queries. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the queries comprise factors associated with genetic information. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the responses from the individuals comprise phenotypic information. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising determining whether said phenotypic information is related to expression of a nucleic acid sequence through application of data mining techniques. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the remotely programmable apparatus is connectable with a monitoring device configured to acquire said physiological data. 
     
     
         9 . A method of monitoring a group of individuals, comprising:
 (A) providing individuals having a risk factor for a disease to be monitored with remotely programmable apparatuses, wherein each of said remotely programmable apparatuses contains information identifying one of said individuals to whom said apparatus has been provided;   (B) creating queries and predefined response choices corresponding to said queries regarding one or more of symptoms, behaviors or environments of the individuals;   (C) storing the queries and predefined response choices on a centrally accessible computing unit, wherein said queries and predefined response choices are accessible only to a particular one of said individuals to whom said queries and predefined response choices are directed;   (D) communicating a computer program containing the queries, predefined response choices and identification information associated with the queries and predefined response choices from the centrally accessible computing unit to the remotely programmable apparatus of at least one of said individuals, said remotely programmable apparatus having
 (1) a user interface (a) for communicating the queries and the predefined response choices to the individual and (b) for receiving responses including selected ones of the predefined response choices chosen by the individual in response to the queries, and 
 (2) a communications function for communicating with the centrally accessible computing unit through a communications network; 
   (E) communicating the selected ones of the predefined response choices chosen by the individuals, physiological data of the individuals, the identification codes associated with the queries and predefined response choices, and identification information of the individuals from the remotely programmable apparatuses to the centrally accessible computing unit;   (F) organizing the selected ones of the predefined response choices, the physiological data of the individuals, the identification codes associated with the queries and predefined response choices, and the unique identification codes of the individuals received from the remotely programmable apparatuses into a database regarding the symptoms, behaviors or environments of the individuals;   (G) distinguishing a group of individuals having similar symptoms, behavioral or environmental profiles through application of data mining techniques to the database; and   (H) categorizing the individuals into one or more subgroups of individuals with similar symptom, behavioral, or environmental profiles through application of statistical methods.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the queries and predefined response choices are scripted and assigned to each individual. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising transmitting new queries and predefined response choices from the centrally accessible computing unit to the remotely programmable apparatus identified with the individual based upon receiving the selected responses from the individual. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising repeating the method with the new queries. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the queries comprise factors associated with genetic information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the responses from the individuals comprise phenotypic information. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising determining whether said phenotypic information is related to expression of a nucleic acid sequence through application of data mining techniques. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the remotely programmable apparatus is connectable with a monitoring device configured to acquire said physiological data. 
     
     
         17 . A method of monitoring the progression of a disease in an individual comprising:
 (A) providing individuals having a risk factor for a disease to be monitored with remotely programmable apparatuses, wherein each of said remotely programmable apparatuses contains information identifying one of said individuals to whom said apparatus has been provided;   (B) creating queries and predefined response choices corresponding to said queries regarding one or more of symptoms, behaviors or environments of the individuals;   (C) storing the queries and predefined response choices on a centrally accessible computing unit, wherein said queries and predefined response choices are accessible only to a particular one of said individuals to whom said queries and predefined response choices are directed;   (D) communicating a computer program containing the queries, predefined response choices and identification information associated with the queries and predefined response choices from the centrally accessible computing unit to the remotely programmable apparatus of at least one of said individuals, said remotely programmable apparatus having
 (1) a user interface (a) for communicating the queries and the predefined response choices to the individual and (b) for receiving responses including selected ones of the predefined response choices chosen by the individual in response to the queries, and 
 (2) a communications function for communicating with the centrally accessible computing unit through a communications network; 
   (E) communicating the selected ones of the predefined response choices chosen by the individuals, physiological data of the individuals, the identification codes associated with the queries and predefined response choices, and identification information of the individuals from the remotely programmable apparatuses to the centrally accessible computing unit; and   (F) organizing the selected ones of the predefined response choices, the physiological data of the individuals, the identification codes associated with the queries and predefined response choices, and the unique identification codes of the individuals received from the remotely programmable apparatuses into a database regarding the symptoms, behaviors or environments of the individuals.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the remotely programmable apparatus is connectable with a monitoring device configured to acquire said physiological data. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the monitoring device is selected from the group consisting of a blood glucose meter, a respiratory flow meter, a blood pressure cuff, a weight scale and a pulse meter. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the disease is selected from the group consisting of non-insulin dependent diabetes, sickle cell anemia, cystic fibrosis, asthma, malignant melanoma, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, colon cancer and obesity.