SOMATIC CELL GENETICS: The DT40 cell line as a genetic model and a substitute for animal research.

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 00.0235

Key words (English)

DT-40; reporter gene; lentivirus; serum-free;
Biotechnology; Environmental Protection; Innovation; Technology Transfer; Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Waste Management

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLK3-2000-00785

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.3 The 'cell factory'

Short description (English)

See abstract

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: Heinrich-Pette-Institut (D)

Abstract (English)

The proposal will establish the DT40 cell line as a powerful and cost efficient alternative to animal research. DT40 is already popular for genetic research in cell biology, but further progress depends on better co-ordination among laboratories and the establishment of generic resources. Close collaborations will be set up between research laboratories and an emerging biotech company to generate useful DT40 variant cell lines, read-out assays and a comprehensive expression sequence tag (EST) database. This will allow analysing the function of thousands of genes by disruption in cell culture thereby substantially decreasing the need for animal transgenesis and the breeding of knockout mice. The new knowledge and resources will be commercially exploited for protein expression and drug discovery.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 00.0235