Scientists at the Sigma Advanced Genetic Engineering (Sage) Labs will use Sigma-Aldrich CompoZR Zinc Finger Nuclease (ZFN) gene-editing technology to develop rodent research models.
Such models are commonly used to study disease states in humans and play a key role in the drug discovery process.
Employing methods used to generate a rat with a targeted gene deletion, commonly referred to as a 'Knockout', scientists at Sage Labs will initially create Knockout rat models with focus in toxicology, neuroscience, cardiovascular and inflammatory disease, areas that would benefit most immediately from the availability of the Knockout Rat.
Using this methodology, Knockout Rats and Mice can be generated in as little as four months, about one-third of the time required to make a Knockout model using conventional Embryonic Stem Cell (ES cell) based approaches.
'The potential applications using these rodent models of human disease could ultimately eliminate years of research time and save lives,' said Dr Dave Smoller, president, Sigma Research Biotechnology.
Because their larger size makes them superior to mice in biological research applications, rats are ideal subjects for research into human diseases.
