• Different types of mutations:  transgenes and targeted mutations
• Common genetic engineering technologies
• Moving mutations from one genetic background to another
• Mouse nomenclature for mutant and transgenic mice
• Selecting appropriate genetic controls
• Resources for selecting a mutant mouse for your experimental plan
• Animal health monitoring and mouse room housing conditions

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

1. Classify different types of genetic modifications
2. Distinguish between technologies used to modify the mouse genome
3. Identify why you might want to move mutations between genetic backgrounds
4. Develop a backcrossing strategy to move a mutation from one genetic background to another
5. Determine the genetic background of a strain based on nomenclature conventions
6. Choose appropriate genetics controls based on genetic background of mutant strains
   • Strain characteristics found in the published literature
   • Details of strains found at JAX using strain datasheets
   • Allele comparisons using Mouse Genome Informatics
   • Genetic background intrinsic phenotypes using the Mouse Phenome Database
7. Discover resources for genetically modified mouse models
8. Recognize the importance of Animal Health Monitoring
9. Determine the barrier level of mice housed at JAX
10. Implement proper acclimation of mice in your facility
11. Appraise current, relevant research highlight

Target Audience

This MiniCourse is designed to meet the needs of people who are new to utilizing laboratory mice for genetic and genomic research projects, including: graduate and postdoctoral students, research assistants, early career scientists, lab technicians, and advanced undergraduates with a background in biology.

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