This workshop addresses one of the key challenges in modern biomedical research: ensuring genetically altered (GA) mouse models are used appropriately, rigorously, and reproducibly. Designed for researchers with a basic understanding of mouse genetics, it provides practical guidance on experimental design, model selection, breeding strategies, and troubleshooting to help maximise the scientific value of GA mouse studies.
Making the Most of Genetically Altered Mouse Models
Genetically altered mouse models are powerful tools for investigating gene function and disease mechanisms, but their successful use requires careful planning and a clear understanding of the factors that can influence experimental outcomes. This workshop explores the critical variables to consider when designing studies, including the selection of appropriate experimental and control groups, the importance of genetic background, and how strain choice can affect the interpretation and reproducibility of results.
Participants will gain an overview of the methods used to generate genetically altered mouse lines and learn which aspects of model generation are most important to understand when planning experiments or developing breeding strategies. The workshop also covers the essential quality control checks that should be completed before a new line is introduced into a research programme.
A significant focus of the workshop is conditional mouse models and the technologies that underpin them, including the Cre-Lox system and alternative recombinase platforms such as Flp, Dre, and Vika. These sophisticated systems allow researchers to manipulate gene expression in specific tissues or at defined time points, enabling biological questions to be addressed that cannot be investigated using conventional constitutive knockout models. However, their complexity also introduces opportunities for error and misinterpretation. Drawing on real-world examples, we will examine common pitfalls associated with conditional models, discuss how they arise, and identify practical strategies to minimise their impact on experimental outcomes.
The workshop also provides guidance on sourcing and importing mouse models from repositories and collaborators. Participants will learn how to identify suitable strains, assess available quality control information, and avoid common issues that can arise when introducing new lines into an existing colony.
As genetic research becomes increasingly sophisticated, the use of multiple alleles and complex breeding schemes is becoming routine. We will discuss how to design efficient breeding programmes, generate appropriate controls, minimise animal use where possible, and ensure that important breeding-related variables are not overlooked. Particular attention will be given to factors that can affect reproducibility long before animals enter an experimental cohort.
In addition, the workshop addresses common challenges encountered when managing genetically altered colonies, including troubleshooting breeding problems and determining the next steps when a model does not behave as anticipated. Participants are encouraged to bring examples from their own research, creating opportunities for discussion and collaborative problem-solving.
Who Should Attend?
This workshop is intended for researchers, PhD students, technical staff, and colony managers who are using – or planning to use – genetically altered mouse models and who already have a foundational understanding of mouse genetics. It will be particularly valuable for those seeking to improve the robustness, reproducibility, and efficiency of their in vivo research programmes.
Corporate sponsorship
Corporate Sponsorship of the Mouse Models for Human Disease Workshop is available. For further details, please email training@har.mrc.ac.uk.
