Go to the abstract in the NAR 2002 Database Issue.
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Twigger, S.N.1, Lu, J.1, Shimoyama, M.1, Chen, D.1, Pasko, D.1, Long, H.1, Ginster, J.1, Chen, C.1, Nigam, R.1, Kwitek-Black, A.E.2, Eppig, J.T.3, Maltais, L.3, Maglott, D.4, Schuler, G.4, Jacob, H.J.2, Tonellato, P.1
1Bioinformatics Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA
2Human and Molecular Genetics Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA
3The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine 04609, USA
4National Center for Biotechnology Information, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
Contact simont@mcw.edu
The Rat is uniquely suited to its role as a model of human disease and the primary focus of the Rat Genome Database (RGD, http://rgd.mcw.edu/) is to aid researchers in their study of the rat and in applying their results to studies in a wider context. In support of this we have integrated a large amount of rat genetic and genomic resources that are constantly being expanded through ongoing literature and bulk dataset curation. Our goal is to enhance studies in the rat by providing not only a repository of genomic data but by allowing the user to view this data from a disease-centric perspective. This will facilitate interpretation and analysis of results in a holistic or systems-oriented manner. Combining this disease-centric approach with our comparative genomics tools allows interpretation of rat studies in the context of the human genome, further leveraging the benefits of the rat as a model organism. RGD has a well defined community outreach focus geared towards the researcher wishing to apply these tools and approaches. These include a Visiting Scientist program, the Rat Community Forum (an online discussion group for rat research), workshops, training seminars and an international curation network. Thus RGD provides data, tools and support to the rat research community and enables this research to be applied to studies in other model systems.
RGD version 2.0, released in June 2001, includes curated data on rat genes, quantitative trait loci, microsatellite markers and rat strains used in genetic and genomic research. VCMap, a dynamic sequence-based homology tool was introduced that allows Rat, Mouse and Human researchers to view mapped sequences and their locations in the other two organisms, an essential tool for comparative genomics.
RGD is funded by grant HL64541 from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute on behalf of the NIH.
Category Genomic Databases
Go to the abstract in the NAR 2002 Database Issue.