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The Connectivity Map: a new tool for biomedical research

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 7, pages 54–60 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

The ultimate objective of biomedical research is to connect human diseases with the genes that underlie them and drugs that treat them. But this remains a daunting task, and even the most inspired researchers still have to resort to laborious screens of genetic or chemical libraries. What if at least some parts of this screening process could be systematized and centralized? And hits found and hypotheses generated with something resembling an internet search engine? These are the questions the Connectivity Map project set out to answer.

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Figure 1: A connectivity map.
Figure 2: A universal functional bioassay.
Figure 3: The Connectivity Map is a tool for the bench researcher.
Figure 4: The Connectivity Map web interface.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to T. Golub, the Connectivity Map team and members of the Broad Institute Cancer and Chemical Biology Programs.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Broad Institute of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, Cambridge, 02142, Massachusetts, USA

    Justin Lamb

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  1. Justin Lamb
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FURTHER INFORMATION

ArrayExpress

BioExpress

ChemBank

Connectivity Map web site

DrugMatrix

Gene Expression Atlas

Gene Expression Omnibus

GenePattern web site

Global Cancer Map

Oncomine Cancer Profiling Database

Rosetta Inpharmatics

WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology

WHO MedNet

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Lamb, J. The Connectivity Map: a new tool for biomedical research. Nat Rev Cancer 7, 54–60 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc2044

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