ARRAY AND INFORMATICS CORE

Scientific progress in the ability to characterize the expression characteristics of organs, tissues, cell populations, and the rapidly approaching requirement to monitor single cells have moved traditional scientific methods of data capture into the computer age. Genome-based data, including microarray techniques have only emphasized the requirement for more complete analysis of experimental data. Understanding of the biology at the level of the organism will be facilitated when methods of experimental data capture allow its comprehensive review. To this end, this Program Project has undertaken the goal of creating methods of simplified and accurate data capture at the level of genetic manipulation, animal management, gene expression, protein levels, and the complex endpoint of mouse pathology. Creating a high quality source of animal data from genotype to pathology supports the Program Project's stated long-term goal of elucidating the role of genome stability mechanisms in the process of biological aging by studying mice with specific gene mutations for alterations in various aging-related parameters. We propose the continuation of this core as the Array and Informatics Core to provide services related to the capture and storage of data related to genotype, lifespan data, mRNA expression levels, and end-of-life pathology.