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Two sets of mouse crosses: experimental and control with "Coming Soon!" Breeding Strategies: Simple to Complex is a Course

Breeding Strategies: Simple to Complex

Self-paced

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Full course description

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MiniCourse Overview

Are you new to breeding mice?  Or are you looking to find a more efficient breeding scheme? Depending on your research needs, breeding can be simple or complicated and there are often multiple breeding schemes that can be used. This course will help you determine the required genotypes for common mutations such as knock-outs, knock-ins and transgenes.  Whether you are working with 1 or 2 alleles or more, you will learn how to use a 4-step approach, working backwards to design an efficient breeding strategy to generate your experimental and control mice. Don't be afraid of Punnett squares!


This MiniCourse is self-paced and takes 2 to 3 hours to complete. At the end of the MiniCourse, you will be able to navigate both simple and complex breeding strategies. You will receive a certificate or badge for completing the MiniCourse. In order to claim a certificate or badge for this MiniCourse, you must go through the Core Content module and take the self-review quiz (scoring at least 70%). 

The following topics will be discussed:

  • Required genotypes for different types of mutations
  • Various resources for finding mouse breeding considerations
  • Predicting breeding outcomes using Punnett squares
  • Designing breeding strategies using a 4- step approach working backwards
  • Breeding strategies for new mouse models: simple to complex

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

  1. Define different types of mutations
  2. Determine genotypes for knock-ins, knock-outs and transgenes
  3. Locate breeding strategy information for mouse strains in a variety of sources
  4. Select appropriate controls for your experimental mice
  5. Predict breeding outcomes using a Punnett square
  6. Design breeding strategies for mouse models working with one or two alleles
  7. Apply a 4-step process and work backwards to develop efficient breeding schemes
  8. Utilize Punnett squares to design the most efficient breeding strategies
  9. Design breeding strategies to create new complex mouse models with three of more unique genes.
  10. Appraise current, relevant research highlights

Target Audience

This MiniCourse is designed to meet the needs of people who utilize JAX laboratory mice for genetic and genomic research projects, including: scientists, research assistants, lab technicians, graduate and postdoctoral students, mouse colony managers and staff.


About our Education Offerings

Founded in 1929, The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) is an independent, nonprofit biomedical research institution with more than 2,300 employees who are passionate about our mission: to discover precise genomic solutions for disease and to empower the global biomedical community in the shared quest to improve human health.

While we are not an accredited higher education institution, we offer a variety of education programs — including our non-credit bearing MiniCourses — designed to educate current and future scientists and to provide critical resources, data, tools and services to researchers worldwide.

MiniCourses are created and reviewed by multiple JAX faculty, scientists, educators and other experts, and include interactive content based on the live lectures delivered in our on-campus Courses, Conferences and Workshops.

MiniCourses are available to learners individually and in topical program collections, which are organized around both foundational content and the research areas in which The Jackson Laboratory has earned a reputation for scientific leadership and excellence.


Hardware and Software Requirements

  • Audio speakers or headphones
  • Screen resolution of 800X600 or higher
  • Adobe Reader 5.0 or higher
  • JavaScript enabled
  • 1GB of RAM
  • 2GHz processor

Check the basic computer specifications and supported browsers.  Internet Explorer is not supported.
Should you have questions regarding the content of the MiniCourse or if you need technical support, please email Online and Digital Education at The Jackson Laboratory.