International Mammalian Genome Society

17th International Mouse Genome Conference

9-12 November 2003, Braunschweig, Germany

Plenary Presentations * Oral Presentations *
Poster Presentations: Behavioural Genetics and Genomics * Development and Stem Cells * Functional Genome Analysis * Mouse Models of Human Disease * Mouse System Biology Bioinformatics * Multigenic and Multifactorial Trait Analysis * Nutrition and Metabolic Disease * Phenotyping Methods Imaging * The Genetics and Genomics of Infectious Disease *
Verne Chapman Memorial Lecture * Table of Contents * Sponsor/Exhibitor List * Awards * Photographs

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POSTER 143 - INTRODUCTION OF THE NATIONAL BIO RESOURCE PROJECT FOR THE RAT IN JAPAN

Mashimo T
Kyoto University

Co-Authors: Voigt B, Nakane Y , Yama s aki K , NakanishiS , Kuramoto T, Serikawa T
Institutions: Kyoto University

Rats and mice are very important mammals in various fields of medical and biological research. Even though both species appear very similar, the rat is more suitable for many kinds of research due to its bigger size and neurological characteristics. In Japan, many unique rat models for human diseases, e.g. hypertension, diabetes, epilepsy, have been developed so far. However, lots of those unique models are not even spread throughout Japan and many of them are poorly characterized.

The National Bio Resource Project for the Rat in Japan (NBRP-Rat) was established to overcome such limitations and to utilize existing resources. The major goals of this project are collection of existing strains, phenotypic and genotypic characterization, cryopreservation of embryos, distribution of the collected rat strains, and creation of a publicly accessible database of all assembled data. By the time more than 140 rat strains are deposited to the NBRP-Rat, which can be searched on the web site by strain name, principal investigator, strain type, or research area (www.anim.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp/nbr). This unique catalogue and resource will become a powerful tool for biomedical research not only in Japan but worldwide.