FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 23, 2006
#06-16

NIEHS CONTACT:
Robin Mackar
(919) 541-0073

23 Oct 2006: NIEHS Teleconference, October 25: Mouse DNA to Aid Biomedical Research

Will Help Discover Why Some People Are Susceptible to Certain Diseases

Researchers have successfully sequenced the DNA of 15 mouse strains most commonly used in biomedical research. More than 8.3 million genetic variations, or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), were discovered among the genomes of the 15 mouse strains, and the data are now available on a public website. These new data on laboratory mice will help researchers better understand what makes some individuals more susceptible than others to certain diseases, and will serve as a valuable resource as researchers determine the role that various environmental substances may play in the development of disease.

The "Re-sequencing and SNP Discovery Project" led by the National Institute ofEnvironmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, and itsNational Toxicology Program, began less than two years ago with a $13 million budget. The work was completed by Perlegen Sciences, Inc. and the data are available on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/SNP/ (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/SNP/) .

WHO:	David A. Schwartz, M.D., Director, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program Kelly Frazer, Ph.D., Vice President of Genomics Perlegen Sciences, Inc. David Threadgill, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Genetics University of North Carolina David Christiani, M.D., Professor of Occupational Medicine and Epidemiology, Environmental Health and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health
WHAT:	Teleconference with NIEHS Director and leading scientific experts
WHEN:	Wednesday, October 25, 1:00 p.m. EDT
WHERE:	Teleconference call. Reporters to dial in call: 877-707-9631 International Reporters, call 785-832-0301 Password: NIEHS

Reporters please call Robin Mackar, 919-541-0073, to reserve your phone line or for further assistance.

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The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a component of the National Institutes of Health, supports research to understand the effects of the environment on human health. For more information on environmental health topics, please visit our website at http://www.niehs.nih.gov/ (http://www.niehs.nih.gov/).

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) - The Nation's Medical Research Agency - includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov/ (http://www.nih.gov/) .