Digital Gene Technologies and Jackson Laboratory to Study Motor Neuron Degeneration Found in Mouse Models for ALS.LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--Aug. 25, 1998--Digital Gene Technologies, Inc. (DGT DGT Dirección General de Tráfico (Spain) DGT Directorate General of Telecommunications (Taiwan) DGT Don't Go There DGT Direcciòn General de Transporte (Guatemala) ), a total gene expression company based in La Jolla, California, today announced a pioneering study of mouse models for Lou Gehrig's disease Lou Geh·rig's disease n. See amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. as the seventh project in the Company's program of academic research collaborations, designed to make DGT's patented technology available free of charge to leading research scientists, according to Robert J. Sutcliffe, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. . The project was submitted by Drs. Wayne N. Frankel and Gregory A. Cox of The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine Bar Harbor, Maine, may refer to:
Loose, draped outer garment adopted by the Romans from the Etruscans. It was originally worn by both sexes of all classes, but was gradually abandoned by women, then by labourers, and finally by patricians, but throughout the history of the empire it remained the state (tm) technology to study gene expression in mice carrying natural genetic variants that either enhance or suppress the degeneration of motor neurons. The neuromuscular degeneration found in mice inheriting these genes is typical of human patients who have amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS Als (äls), Ger. Alsen, island, 121 sq mi (313 sq km), Sønderjylland co., S Denmark, in the Lille Bælt, separated from the mainland by the narrow Alensund. ), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a devastating, incurable disorder afflicting 30,000 people in the U.S., with 5000 new cases reported each year. "TOGA(tm) technology is ideal for detecting genes whose expression is affected in mice that inherit genes associated with neuromuscular degeneration," Frankel explained. "In addition to enhancing our ability to assess behavior of previously known genes, TOGA(tm) will dramatically increase our chances of finding previously undiscovered genes representing potential targets for new therapies." The project proposed by Drs. Frankel and Cox is part of their ongoing laboratory research focused on the genetic basis of neurological disorders. Using a variety of mouse breeding techniques and quantitative trait locus Inheritance of quantitative traits refers to the inheritance of a phenotypic characteristic that varies in degree and can be attributed to the interactions between two or more genes and their environment (also called Polygenic inheritance). analysis, their research seeks to identify, characterize and clone the genes responsible for abnormal neurological phenotypes in mice and humans. Their TOGA(tm) research will study mice that inherit the genes nmd (for neuromuscular degeneration) and Mnm (for modifier of neuromuscular degeneration). Genetics research has been transformed in recent years by the increasing availability of mouse strains developed at The Jackson Laboratory and elsewhere that incorporate genetic mutations for a wide range of human conditions such as Down's syndrome, epilepsy, sensory impairment, Huntington's chorea, breast cancer, and autoimmune diseases. With a very similar genetic makeup to humans and susceptibility to many of the same diseases, mice are powerful experimental surrogates that offer great promise for the cure and prevention of disease. TOGA(tm) (an acronym for TOtal Gene expression Analysis) refers to DGT's patented method of identifying and determining the concentration of nearly all of the genes active in a sample cell or tissue. The method, developed at The Scripps Research Institute in the laboratory of Dr. J. Gregor Sutcliffe, a company founder and chairman of the DGT scientific advisory board, provides an inventory of gene activity in a sample and constitutes a major new approach to defining the function of the vast array of genes comprising any genome. The academic collaboration program is under the direction of the DGT scientific advisory board and is designed to advance basic research and encourage publication, while reserving to DGT the commercial opportunities developed from TOGA(tm). Researchers and their institutions will be entitled to a share of DGT's net revenues derived in the research field from molecules first highlighted in TOGA(tm) assays of project samples, even if the specific molecule is not one the researcher chooses to pursue. The research program conducted by Drs. Frankel and Cox joins other academic research collaborations which access the Company's TOGA(tm) technology. These include projects by Dr. Peter K. Vogt of The Scripps Research Institute, studying the earliest stages in the development of cancer; Dr. Simon Halegoua of the State University of New York (body) State University of New York - (SUNY) The public university system of New York State, USA, with campuses throughout the state. at Stony Brook, studying the molecular basis of Nerve Growth Factor nerve growth factor n. Abbr. NGF A protein that stimulates the growth of sympathetic and sensory nerve cells. Nerve growth factor (NGF NGF abbr. nerve growth factor NGF nerve growth factor. ); Drs. Ting-Kai Li and Lucinda G. Carr of the Indiana University School of Medicine The Indiana University School of Medicine is the medical school of Indiana University, part of the Indiana University Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus located in Indianapolis, Indiana. Established in 1903, the school had an initial class of 25 students. , investigating the genetics of alcoholism; Dr. Douglas L. Feinstein of the University of Illinois at Chicago This article is about the University of Illinois at Chicago. For other uses, see University of Illinois at Chicago (disambiguation). UIC participates in NCAA Division I Horizon League competition as the UIC Flames in several sports, most notably Basketball. , working on the isolation of genes whose expression will block inflammatory responses of the brain; Dr. Ryszard Przewlocki of the Polish Academy of Sciences The Polish Academy of Sciences, headquartered in Warsaw, is one of two Polish institutions, having the nature of an academy of sciences. History The Polish Academy of Sciences (Polish: Polska Akademia Nauk, abbreviated PAN , studying the effect of morphine on brain gene expression; and, Dr. Inder Verma of The Salk Institute, focusing on genes regulated by the BRCA BRCA One of two genes (designated BRCA1 and BRCA2) that help repair damage to DNA, but when inherited in a defective state increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. 1 gene and linked to an inherited form of breast cancer. The Jackson Laboratory, founded in 1929, is a world leader in mammalian genetics research. With more than 830 employees, the nonprofit, independent facility has a three-fold mission: to conduct basic genetic and biomedical research, train present and future scientists, and provide resources to researchers worldwide. Founded in 1995, Digital Gene Technologies, Inc. is a total gene expression company focusing on the exploitation of genomic bioinformatics through the application of patented technology that identifies and determines anatomical distribution and expression patterns of the genes active in any cell or tissue sample. The company pursues gene expression-based research protocols with strategic partners and academic collaborators, and provides customers with a variety of services, including automated tissue assays, access to proprietary databases, and new gene discovery. CONTACT: Digital Gene Technologies, Inc. Robert J. Sutcliffe, 619/552-1400 Email: info@dgt.com or Keatinge & Associates, Inc. Richard W. Keatinge, Ph.D., 760/633-1885 |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion