Many of the faculty at the University of Kansas have maintained an excellent tradition of conducting basic biomedical research on the main campus in Lawrence and, through collaborations with clinical scientists at the Medical Center campus, have been involved in transitional research in areas such as mental retardation, aging, Alzheimer's Disease, neurological diseases, pregnancy and early development, and cancer. The University plans to construct two major, bi-campus, multidisciplinary research institutes, one in neuroscience and the other in cancer research. These institutes will combine the efforts of 50 neuroscientists and 30 cancer researchers. Both institutes have identified the development of experimental animal models for neuro-development, neurological diseases, and cancer biology as a key component in achieving an understanding of basic biological mechanisms for neurological diseases and cancer and for developing new therapeutic interventions. Transgenic and gene knockout approaches in mice are the main pathway to such animal model development. The focus of this proposal is on renovating space within the main animal care facility at the University of Kansas in Lawrence to be used to generate, house, and breed transgenic and gene knockout mice. Over the past two years a microinjection laboratory was established and personnel trained to generate transgenic mice. Limited rodent housing was designated for mouse housing and breeding rooms for transgenic animals and a small bio-behavioral laboratory configured to allow for sensitive measures of changes in behavioral and neurological function as a result of over-expression or disruption of various genes. However, these facilities are not optimal for the conduct of the experimental work planned or for the housing of major instrumentation that will be purchased in fiscal year 2005. They also are not centralized in a manner that would effectively support existing and future PHS-funded research. This proposal has as its main focus the renovation/restructuring of a space of approximately 5,600 gross square feet so that it will become a centralized transgenic/gene knockout facility that will serve the community of scientists of the whole University. A unique feature of this facility besides the laboratory for micro-injection, mouse housing/breeding and mouse genotyping, is the inclusion of a well designed space for bio-behavioral measurements and one for complete pathological examination of new transgenic/knockout mice generated.
| Michaelis, E K; Wang, X; Pal, R et al. (2011) Neuronal Glud1 (glutamate dehydrogenase 1) over-expressing mice: increased glutamate formation and synaptic release, loss of synaptic activity, and adaptive changes in genomic expression. Neurochem Int 59:473-81 |
