A Resource for Mouse Models of Peripheral Neuropathy

Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor ME

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Patients with inherited peripheral neuropathies, such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT), are provided life-long supportive care, but there are currently no treatments or cures. Progress toward such treatments is slow due, in part, to the fact that there are too few animal models available to conduct research that could lead to new treatments. The rate at which new CMT disease genes/mutations are identified currently exceeds the rate at which appropriate models can be developed. There are now ~80 human CMT disease loci, including at least 60 genes, and most of these do not yet have an associated clinically-relevant animal model. To remedy this problem we propose the creation of The Resource for Research of Peripheral Neuropathy (RRPN) at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX). The JAX-RRPN (www.jax.org/rrpn) is a coordinated, community-driven effort that leverages a world-leading knowledge of mouse genetics, state-of-the-art genome editing capability, decades of experience in disease model development and experience with effective disease model repositories, to accelerate the creation, distribution and proper use of high-priority mouse models for CMT research.