Making fly and mouse models of genetic conditions
Disease Modeling Unit
Using fruit flies and mice that carry the same genetic changes found in people so those with rare or undiagnosed genetic conditions can get clearer answers and potential treatment leads.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248145 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have a rare or undiagnosed genetic change, this program creates precise versions of that change in fruit flies and mice to see whether the change causes symptoms. Researchers match the animal models to the genetic variants found in patient genomes, watch for similar signs, and study the underlying biology. They also use those models to look for biomarkers and to test possible therapies before human trials. The work helps show whether a variant is disease-causing and provides data that clinicians and families can use when making care decisions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with rare or undiagnosed genetic disorders or with variants of uncertain significance identified on clinical exome or genome testing.
Not a fit: People whose conditions are non-genetic or due to common multifactorial causes are unlikely to benefit from this modeling work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could confirm whether a patient's genetic variant causes disease and speed discovery of biomarkers and treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Previous programs using fly and mouse models have successfully supported variant interpretation, gene discovery, and preclinical testing, and this unit builds on that experience.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Heaney, Jason D. — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Heaney, Jason D.
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.