Australian Centre For Vertebrate Mutation Detection (ACVMD)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,611,794.00
Summary
Over the last 20 years, generation and analysis of genetically modified animals has proven to be an important step in the transition from in vitro studies of gene function to in vivo studies and eventually clinical research. The remarkable parallels between the human, mouse and zebrafish genomes means that there are now many examples of mutations that cause or modify disease in humans, and which lead to similar phenotypes when present in mice and zebrafish. Until recently, the prime method of in ....Over the last 20 years, generation and analysis of genetically modified animals has proven to be an important step in the transition from in vitro studies of gene function to in vivo studies and eventually clinical research. The remarkable parallels between the human, mouse and zebrafish genomes means that there are now many examples of mutations that cause or modify disease in humans, and which lead to similar phenotypes when present in mice and zebrafish. Until recently, the prime method of introducing mutations into specific genes of interest in the mouse (although still unavailable in the fish) was via homologous recombination, and the principal classes of mutations induced were large deletions or insertions. This type of mutation rarely occurs in humans. Rather, point mutations and single-nucleotide polymorphisms are the prevalent form of genetic variation. An alternative approach to the development of mouse models with the more relevant point mutations is TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes). The goal of this Enabling Grant is to make TILLING technology accessible to the Australian research community and in doing so promote movement of research from the in vitro setting into animal models of disease.Read moreRead less
National Non-human Primate Breeding And Research Facility
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,640,742.00
Summary
Some biomedical research is best undertaken on primates, in order to allow the greatest relevance to understanding health and disease in humans. Examples of such research include studies into diseases like HIV-AIDS and much of the research into understanding the human brain and nervous system. The National Health and Medical Research Committee (NHMRC), through its Animal Welfare Committee, has taken an international leadership position in ensuring that any non-human primates used for biomedical ....Some biomedical research is best undertaken on primates, in order to allow the greatest relevance to understanding health and disease in humans. Examples of such research include studies into diseases like HIV-AIDS and much of the research into understanding the human brain and nervous system. The National Health and Medical Research Committee (NHMRC), through its Animal Welfare Committee, has taken an international leadership position in ensuring that any non-human primates used for biomedical research are bred and housed in the best possible facilities and looked after with the highest level of care available. To ensure this quality of care, it is NHMRC policy to only use animals that have been bred and reared specifically for research purposes. The National Non-Human Primate Breeding and Research Facility, hosted by Monash University, ensures that Australian community has access to macaque monkeys and marmosets to carry out research under the highest quality conditions. Additionally the colonies will provide a key resource in any national response to pandemics and bioterrorism for vaccine and response development.Read moreRead less