This award will support collaborative research between Dr. John L. Omdahl of the University of New Mexico and Dr. Brian May at the University of Adelaide (South Australia). The research is clearly significant in the development of our understanding of the ubiquitous biological activities of the many varieties of P450 genes. For example, some P450 genes are expressed in the liver to metabolize foreign chemicals such as drugs and others are expressed in tissues for hormone production. Specifically, these researchers propose to define the control region of the P450 gene responsible for metabolism of phenobarbital in chickens, and to isolate the P450 gene of the pig to lay the ground for future work in defining the control regions of these genes responsive to hormones. The project brings together complementary expertise in that Dr. May is well-versed in the molecular biology of these systems, and Dr. Omdahl is an expert in their biology. In addition to the scientific advances anticipated and their potential applications to toxicology, the University of Adelaide's Center of Excellence for Gene Technology will serve as a resource for understanding how such centers are organized and administered for potential application at the University of New Mexico.
