# Safeguarding Genetic Resources of Aquatic Biomedical Models

> **NIH NIH R24** · LOUISIANA STATE UNIV AGRICULTURAL CENTER · 2022 · $177,600

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract:
Aquatic organisms are powerful biomedical models used in laboratories around the world. These animals
are maintained mostly as live organisms, with the associated expense and risk. As thousands of new lines
of mutants and transgenic organisms are generated, maintaining populations of each becomes prohibitive
for stock centers. To address these problems, cryopreservation has become a necessity for the
preservation of genetic resources. Cryopreservation must be linked to development of germplasm
repositories where genetic resources are protected in a reproducible, standardized way. A well developed
and maintained repository can reduce the cost of maintaining and recovering lines, reduce duplication of
effort, and reduce the costs required to recreate lines. We are working to develop appropriate processes
and repository technology for amphibians (i.e., Ambystoma and Xenopus) and invertebrates (i.e., Aplysia).
Our current parent award is intended to provide access to community-level approaches for
reproducibility, training, and standardization through a centralized resource Hub and a repository network
that can address aquatic biomedical model repository needs. Through R24 funding the Hub is establishing
capabilities to process germplasm samples and develop pathways for repository development. Currently,
animals used for the project are sent from stock centers and other laboratories to the AGGRC. Our reliance
on outside sources has become a substantial problem in ensuring the availability of adequate numbers of
animals for replicated studies and outreach activities. Supplemental funds are requested herein to enable
us to spawn and grow animals in-house. This will greatly advance the objectives of the parent award by
increasing research productivity and outreach capability. Also, the risks associated with animal shipping,
particularly in extreme weather conditions will be diminished. This work can be completed within the
current project year (entering Year 3), and it does not overlap with work funded in the parent award or
through previous supplemental funding. The specific use of this request is to provide in-house production
live amphibians cultured from spawning through adulthood, to provide a timely source of broodstock to
support the activities of the parent award in research, teaching, training, collaboration, and outreach.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10600565
- **Project number:** 3R24OD028443-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** LOUISIANA STATE UNIV AGRICULTURAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Maria Teresa Gutierrez-Wing
- **Activity code:** R24 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $177,600
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-06-15 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10600565

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10600565, Safeguarding Genetic Resources of Aquatic Biomedical Models (3R24OD028443-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10600565. Licensed CC0.

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