Custom genetically engineered mice for food allergy
Transgenic Core
This program creates specially modified mice to help scientists better understand and develop treatments for food allergies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Food Allergy Science Initiative, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11322736 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, this core makes and maintains genetically engineered mice that let researchers turn specific genes on or off in particular cell types. The team uses CRISPR and traditional embryonic stem cell methods to create knockin, knockout, and recombinase-driver mouse lines, and can work in strains important for food allergy like BALB/c. They also cryopreserve embryos or sperm so valuable mouse lines can be stored and later revived. These mouse models are used by the food allergy projects to study how genes and cells drive allergic responses and to test potential interventions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with food allergies or those at high risk for allergic reactions are the group most likely to benefit from discoveries enabled by these models.
Not a fit: Patients without food allergies or whose conditions are unrelated to immune or genetic mechanisms are unlikely to directly benefit from this mouse-model work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: These mouse models could speed discovery of the biological causes of food allergy and help identify new treatments or prevention strategies.
How similar studies have performed: Genetically engineered mouse models and CRISPR-based approaches are well-established and have previously helped reveal mechanisms and guide therapies for allergic and immune diseases.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Food Allergy Science Initiative, INC. — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lowell, Bradford B — Food Allergy Science Initiative, INC.
- Study coordinator: Lowell, Bradford B
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.