I am not into sequencing DNA myself, but had heard second hand that a
call was being made for new model organisms to sequence. Apparently
there is a desire that the huge array of equipment leashed on the
human genome not stand idle, as that task winds down. Figuring that
the enormous axolotl genome (second only to lungfish) should keep the
sequencers busy for a while, I made a few enquiries. Dr.
Marvin.Stodolsky has given me a thorough reply, which I thought might
be of some value to those of you who might wish to pursue the matter.
It is reproduced here with his permission.
Yours, -Dick Gordon
Dear Marvin,
At URL http://www.ornl.gov/hgmis/research/function.html it says that
one goal is to "Identify other useful model organisms and support
appropriate genomic studies". Does that fall within your office, or
should I be talking with someone else? Thanks.
Yours, -Dick
>X-Server-Uuid: 0bf4d294-faec-11d1-a39a-0008c7246279
>From: "Stodolsky, Marvin" <Marvin.Stodolsky at science.doe.gov>
>To: "'Richard Gordon'" <gordonr at Ms.UManitoba.CA>
>cc: "'thawkins at lbl.gov.'" <thawkins at lbl.gov>,
> "Patrinos, Ari" <Ari.Patrinos at science.doe.gov>
>Subject: RE: axolotl as a model organism
>Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2000 09:21:02 -0500
>X-WSS-ID: 160F95C5328663-01-01
>>Richard,
>>You are properly citing Text from F. Collins, Ari Patrinos, et al., "New
>Goals for the U.S. Human Genome Project: 1998-2003," Science 282: 682-689
>(1998).
>>This represents the joint formulation of the HGP 5 year plan update. However
>the particular model organisms chosen still have to be justifiable under the
>"missions" allowed by the different Congressional Committees controlling our
>funding. This Office seeks the guidance of relevant scientists in the field
>as to which organisms are most meritorious at any particular time, and this
>advice has to be blended against the constraints of our missions and budget
>limitations.
>>To me, axolotl would be a superb model for wound healing and limb
>regeneration, but it this does not manifestly fall within the current
>Missions of this Office. These issues are much more related in the US to
>the NIH missions http://www.nigms.nih.gov/ & http://www.nigms.nih.gov/ and
>perhaps those of the military http://www.darpa.mil in treating battlefield
>trauma. Additionally, it might be worth querying the Howard Hughes Medical
>Institute http://www.hhmi.org and the NSF Developmental Biology
>http://www.nsf.gov/bio/ programs.
>>Again, the capabilities of our DOE JGI http://www.jgi.doe.gov will be
>available for (at cost) sequencing and other high throughput biology in the
>future. But this Office simple does not have the budget to itself support a
>broad array of genome projects. This years budget in the Genome sector is
>essentially fully committed, though Sept. 2001.
>>Incidentally since our first email exchange, Trevor Hawkins
>(thawkins at lbl.gov) has replaced Elbert Branscomb as JGI Director. While I
>do have substantial responsibilites within the model organism sector of this
>Office, I am copying this response to Trevor Hawkins and OBER Director Ari
>Patrinos, in case they should have futher suggestions for you.
>>Sincerely:
>>Marvin Stodolsky, Ph.D
> US Dept. of Energy
> Office of Science
> Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER)
> Life Sciences Division, SC-72
> Genome Program Task Group
>19901 Germantown Rd, Germantown, MD 20874-1290, USA
>Email- Marvin.Stodolsky at science.doe.gov> 301-903-4475 telephone
> -8521 fax
> -6488 secretary Joanne Corcoran
--
Dr. Richard Gordon, Radiology
University of Manitoba, HSC Rm. GA216, 820 Sherbrook St.
Winnipeg R3A 1R9 Canada
phone:(204)789-3828, fax:(204)787-2080, e-mail: GordonR at ms.umanitoba.ca
New book: The Hierarchical Genome & Differentiation Waves: Novel
Unification of Development, Genetics & Evolution:
http://www.wspc.com.sg/books/lifesci/2755.html
Adjunct: Electrical & Computer Engineering, Exec Member: CSTB, CARRF,
IEEE-EMBS.
---
