Generation of a Public Resource of Mouse Strain Sequences

Seventeen mouse strains used to model human diseases are having their entire genomes decoded. Mice are the workhorses of biomedical research, but scientists have been working with incomplete genetic maps. Without the full DNA sequence of each strain, it is difficult to pinpoint which genetic differences cause a particular strain to develop, say, diabetes or cancer. This project fills that gap by generating a complete, public reference library of mouse strain genomes. If successful, this resource will let researchers link specific DNA variants in mice directly to disease traits, then search for the equivalent variants in human patients. This could accelerate the identification of genetic risk factors for common diseases and improve the design of preclinical drug studies. This is fundamental science—it builds the infrastructure for future discovery rather than delivering a treatment today. Past investments in genome sequencing of model organisms have underpinned breakthroughs in gene editing, cancer immunotherapy, and rare disease diagnosis. This resource will likely do the same for the next generation of biomedical research.