Our paper is one of the first publications describing an RNAi screen in mammalian cells. It portrays a screen that identified novel genes required for proper cell division, a research area that is relevant to many scientists. Our work also presents an effective, specific, and cost-effective way to generate RNAi libraries through the use of endoribonuclease-prepared siRNAs.

RNAi is probably one of the most exciting and important discoveries in the natural sciences in recent years. Our work describes a new method on how to make this technology efficient and cost-effective for use in large-scale and in high-throughput experiments. Our work puts whole-genome RNAi screens in mammalian cells within reach for laboratories, which otherwise would not be able to perform such experiments.

The sequencing of whole genomes has provided scientists with the blueprint of life and has identified all genes that code for proteins in the cell. A next important step towards a better understanding of how a cell works is figuring out the function of each of these genes. RNAi is a method that allows the specific silencing of each gene within a cell. The consequence of this silencing can then be studied and based on observed phenotypes from which conclusions can be drawn for the function of the gene. In our case we used RNAi to find genes that are involved in cell division, a process that happens uncontrollably in cancer cells. A better understanding of cell division may help to identify novel therapies against cancer.

I was lucky to work in a lab where scientists worked with different organisms, including flies and mice. When the mechanism of RNAi was dissected in C.elegans and Drosophila cells, a postdoc previously working in Drosophila had the great idea to try E.coli RNaseIII as a "substitute" for Dicer to make a pool of siRNAs from long dsRNA in vitro. When he presented the results in a group meeting, I realized the potential of this technology for functional genomic studies in mammalian cells.

RNAi has far reaching consequences for research performed in many areas important for improving human health. The technology speeds up scientific discovery and is also a promising method for novel therapies.