Saturday, September 20, 2008

The Pleiades


Went to a genomics conference and heard about http://pleiades.org/
they work on MiniPromoters that targets specific gene expression for gene therapy. They seem to be successful, claiming to have cured 12+ patients with Batten Disease by implanting genetically modified cells into a specific area in the patient's brain.

I was curious to know what the story behind "Pleiades" and good ol' Wikipedia comes to the rescue :D

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleiades_(mythology)

One of the most memorable myths involving the Pleiades is the story of how these sisters literally became stars, their catasterism. According to some versions of the tale, all seven sisters committed suicide because they were so saddened by either the fate of their father, Atlas, or the loss of their siblings, the Hyades. In turn Zeus, the ruler of the Greek gods, immortalized the sisters by placing them in the sky. There these seven stars formed the constellation known thereafter as the Pleiades.

Grabbed the image off Wikipedia :D

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