The Jackson Laboratory
The purpose of the Diversity Outbred Pilot Grant Program is to explore new uses for genetic diversity in biomedical research. This program aims to enable a greater understanding of the impact of genetic diversity on experimental outcomes and to assess its contribution to phenotypic variability across a range of research areas.
Research Studies are typically designed with the intention of reducing the number of experimental variables to better understand specific biological processes. While this can be helpful in early-stage research, reducing variability at later stages may negatively impact translatability. This is particularly relevant to mouse biomedical research as inbred mice are genetically homogeneous populations. Although inbred mice can enable researchers to isolate and interrogate defined experimental variables, they are unable to recapitulate the genetic diversity observed across human populations. Testing in a single inbred mouse strain is thus genetically akin to testing in a single person, and this can lead to numerous challenges when attempting to translate experimental findings to humans.
Application due date: December 3, 2021
Follow
