Diversity Outbred: A New Generation of Mouse Model

Charles W. Schmidt, MS, an award-winning science writer from Portland, ME, has written for Discover Magazine, Science, and Nature Medicine. About This Article open Citation: Schmidt CW. 2015. Diversity Outbred: a new generation of mouse model. Environ Health Perspect 123:A64–A67; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.123-A64 News Topics: Animal Models, Chemical Testing, Genetic Research, Genomics, Research Issues and Initiatives Published: 1 March 2015 PDF Version (3.6 MB) The use of genetically identical mice in toxicology studies can make it tricky to extrapolate findings to people. A new mouse model known as the Diversity Outbred better reflects the genetic diversity of the human population, offering intriguing possibilities for safety assessment. © Roy Scott Most of the mice used for testing the toxic effects of chemicals and drugs are genetically inbred with a long history in the laboratory.1 But toxicologists are increasingly turning to newer mouse models that more accurately mimic the genetic diversity of the human population. Investigators with the National Toxicology Program (NTP) at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences have now reported that one such model—the Diversity Outbred (DO) mouse model—varies widely in its susceptibly to benzene, a known cause of human leukemia.2 The results demonstrate the model’s improved capacity for identifying subtle chemical effects and lend further credibility to the use of DO mice in toxicology research ...
Source: EHP Research - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Featured News Spheres of Influence Animal Models Chemical Testing Genetic Research Genomics March 2015 Research Issues and Initiatives Source Type: research