Dr. Jeffrey Miner, principal investigator of the new Pediatric Disease Mouse Models Core
Jeffrey Miner, PhD, Professor of Medicine, WU Division of Nephrology, has been awarded a three-year, $449,500, Core Large Initiative grant by the Children’s Discovery Institute (CDI) that will fund the new the Pediatric Disease Mouse Models Core (PDMMC). The core will generate mouse models of pediatric disease using state-of-the-art CRISPR/Cas9 and ROSA-TALEN technologies.
The PDMMC will support the CDI’s goal of expediting mutant mouse production for precision genomic approaches in pediatric disease research by serving as a complete mouse production “pipeline.” The Core’s premium support services service will significantly reduce CDI investigator and CDI center member costs because all stages of the pipeline, from initial consultation and project design through microinjections/electroporations and initial genotyping, will be eligible for a subsidy of 70% of the total costs through a micro-grant application process.
“This is an exciting time for understanding the genetics of human disease,” says Dr. Miner. “The goal of this Core is to enable CDI investigators to produce the gene-edited mice they need for cutting edge pediatric disease research, by both providing scientific expertise and removing financial barriers. I am thrilled that the CDI’s leadership viewed this Core as a worthy investment.”
As principal investigator of the PDMMC, Dr. Miner will serve as the primary contact for CDI investigators and center members wishing to access services and will review all micro-grant submissions.
The PDMMC will subsidize the usage of existing institutional cores including:
- The Transgenic Vectors Core, under the management of Renate Lewis for CRISPR/Cas9 and ROSA-TALENs design, validation, and production of reagents.
- The Genome Engineering and iPSC Center, under the directorship of Dr. Xiaoxia Cui for CRISPR/Cas9 design, validation, and production of reagents.
- The Mouse Genetics Core, under the management of Mia Wallace for microinjection and electroporation of reagents into embryos for production of genetically altered mice.
See the full list of services, eligibility criteria and the process for requesting micro-grants on the PDMMC core page on the CDI website. A list of the active CDI cores can be found here.
The CDI, a partnership between St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, was established in 2006 with a goal of changing the way pediatric research is conducted. The CDI funds research that targets some of the most devastating childhood diseases and disorders.
Follow Dr. Miner on Twitter @JeffMinerPhD and watch him discuss his research here.