| Affiliations: | |
| Project Leader: | Amanda Vorpahl vorpahl@medicine.tamhsc.edu |
| Faculty Mentor: | David Threadgill, Ph.D. |
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Meeting Times:
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Summer 2016 (complete) |
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Team Size:
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7 (Team Full) |
| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Team Needs:
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Previous laboratory experience is not required, and all science-related majors are invited to apply. We are aiming to automate the genotyping process as much as possible, so a biomedical engineer major who is interested in working on this aspect of the project is encouraged to apply. |
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Description:
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Mus musculus, commonly known as the house mouse, is a powerful research model for human physiology and disease. Our laboratory maintains a breeding colony of over 50 inbred strains of mice that are used in various research projects that investigate the interaction between genetic background and various endpoints including physiological responses to diet, cancer susceptibilities, and effects of toxin exposure. As a first step for these projects, many of the mice must be genotyped to maintain the breeding lines as well as provide mice with specific alleles for the various experimental groups. This research team will extract DNA from mouse tissue, perform polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and analyze the PCR products by gel electrophoresis to determine the genotype of the mice. The team will create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for various laboratory methodologies, and work to automate many assays using robots within the lab. Mastery of these skills and other general laboratory techniques will provide a strong foundation for future molecular research. Team members that complete the required mouse handling trainings can assist in tissue collection and weaning within the mouse rooms. Additionally, this team will participate in the genetic analysis of cancer suppressor genes. Two genetic systems are being used, one is a modifier analysis of PTEN signaling using a transgenic line with a reporter phenotype, the second is the genetic mapping of strong colon cancer resistance loci using a backcross between cancer resistant and susceptible mouse strains. |