# Center for Genetic Studies of Drug Abuse in Outbred Rats

> **NIH NIH P50** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 2021 · $506,056

## Abstract

Project Summary (Core C)
 The purpose of this core is to obtain genotypes for ~5,000 DNA samples derived from rats that are
phenotyped by Projects 1, 2, and 3. In addition, we will perform RNA Sequencing (RNASeq) in support of
Research Projects 1 and 2. Finally, we use these data to perform genome wide association studies (GWAS)
and a number of related analyses. In the prior funding period, Dr. Palmer was the PI of both this core and a
research project that developed techniques for genetic analysis. In this renewal application, those two
functions have been consolidated into this core.
 One of the critical technical advances that made this center possible was our development of genotyping-
by-sequencing (GBS) for use in rats. Only three SNP genotyping microarrays have ever been developed for
use in rats. All three are expensive (>$300 per sample) and none are currently in production. The lack of
affordable genotyping platforms was a major impediment to the use of GWAS and related quantitative genetic
approaches in rats. In the past funding period, our P50 center has turned the tide by further improving and
widely deploying GBS for use in rats. We have continued to refine our GBS techniques, and are now able to
obtain ~3.7 million SNPs for less than $50 per sample. Thus, we have increased our output by more than
30-fold while cutting the costs in half.
 In addition to obtaining genotypes and performing RNASeq, this core will perform genetic analyses, which
include GWAS, phenome-wide association analyses (PheWAS), transcriptome wide association analyses
(TWAS), heritability estimates, genetic correlations, and a new approach that we call polygenic transcriptomic
risk score (PTRS) prediction. All of these analyses are routinely performed in our laboratory and have been the
subjects of prior publications that used rats, mice, and humans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10160845
- **Project number:** 5P50DA037844-09
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Abraham A. Palmer
- **Activity code:** P50 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $506,056
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-06-15 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10160845

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10160845, Center for Genetic Studies of Drug Abuse in Outbred Rats (5P50DA037844-09). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10160845. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*