# Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center at Indiana University

> **NIH NIH P40** · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $1,126,777

## Abstract

The Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center (BDSC) supports a large, worldwide community of scientists using
the insect Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism for biomedical experimentation. The goals of the
BDSC are to provide a collection of documented living stocks of broad value to current research, to preserve
documented strains with clear future value, and to provide information and support services that promote
maximal exploitation of these materials. These goals facilitate research by providing universal and rapid
access to the most generally useful stocks by preserving specialty genotypes with exceptional characteristics,
and by providing information that helps researchers identify stocks appropriate to their needs. The genetic
technologies available to Drosophila researchers are among the most sophisticated in any multicellular
organism; consequently, Drosophila is used extensively in studies of biological processes relevant to human
health and investigations of molecular mechanisms underlying disease. As the most comprehensive source of
stocks for genetic experimentation with Drosophila, the BDSC is central to the success of thousands of
research projects and hundreds of NIH grants yearly. The first specific aim of this proposal is to continue
acquiring, maintaining and distributing Drosophila strains while simultaneously eliminating obsolete stocks. The
work will preserve federal investments in genetic resource development by maintaining stocks securely using
regimented practices. It aims to maximize the rigor and reproducibility of genetic studies by encouraging stock
reuse. The second specific aim is to continue developing robust and transparent information resources to meet
the operational needs of the facility and the research needs of Drosophila scientists while maintaining and
promoting excellent user support. The third specific aim is to undertake research to increase the utility of one of
the largest subsets of BDSC stocks, the split-GAL stocks, which were developed to characterize neurons in the
brain. Split-GAL4 transgenes are used to force expression of other transgenes in cell-specific patterns,
allowing investigators to manipulate cell characteristics experimentally in otherwise normal individuals. The
research proposed here aims to characterize the expression of split-GAL4 transgenes outside the brain to
benefit the analysis of diverse cell types and to help distinguish the physiological effects of gene expression in
the brain versus other tissues in split-GAL4 studies. Key to all three aims is the administration and
advancement of the existing, highly successful cost recovery program that finances most operational expenses
from user fees. Consequently, the proposal focuses on support and development of the core management
team as the most effective way to leverage the investment of federal funds.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10847927
- **Project number:** 2P40OD018537-11
- **Recipient organization:** TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** KEVIN R COOK
- **Activity code:** P40 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,126,777
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2014-08-15 → 2029-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10847927

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10847927, Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center at Indiana University (2P40OD018537-11). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10847927. Licensed CC0.

---

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