# Rat Germline Gene Editing Products and Services

> **NIH NIH U44** · GENOMEDESIGNS LABORATORY, LLC · 2020 · $602,049

## Abstract

Summary
Rat research models are established to investigate a broad spectrum of human health issues significant to
most NIH Institutes and are reported in >1.5 million publications listed on NCBI PubMed Central. Direct
germline editing products and services generated by this SBIR project will streamline production of the most
sophisticated, genetically designed rat models used to study gene, cell and organ function. Robust gene
targeting by homology directed DNA repair in potent rat spermatogonial stem cell lines embodies technology
GenomeDesigns Laboratory, LLC. (GDL) uses to introduce custom designed genomic modifications directly
into the rat’s germline. Genetically modified rat germlines are transplanted into rat testes to produce
fertilization-competent spermatozoa. Genetically engineered donor germline-derived spermatozoa then
sexually transmit targeted alleles by breeding to generate new rat strains that harbor heritable genomic
modifications needed to investigate leading biomedical questions.
Phase I experiments have demonstrated feasibility to: 1) derive functionally robust, genetically tractable rat
spermatogonial lines from diverse rat genetic backgrounds, 2) predict donor germline transmission rates
prior to animal production, and 3) sexually transmit donor germline alleles on diverse rat genetic
backgrounds from male-sterile recipients.
Phase II will deliver Carrier Sperm Technology, Gene Sculptor Sperm Technology and Tissue Tracker
Germlines into the model organism market. Carrier Sperm and Gene Sculptor Sperm technologies will
establish spermiogenetic services exclusively offered by GDL for generating rat models that sexually
transmit relatively large, allele-specific, targeted germline genomic insertions. Tissue Tracker Germlines will
provide novel services for producing rat models with inducible gene regulation in target cell types of interest.
Thus, Phase II deliverables will empower research requiring highly controlled, tissue-dependent and/or
inducible transgene regulation using a wide assortment of inbred and outbred rat strains.
Benchmarks for this Phase II SBIR project are:
Specific Aim 1: Standardize Carrier Sperm Technology for transgenesis in popular rat strains
Specific Aim 2: Launch Gene Sculptor Sperm services for in germline selectable marker auto-excision
Specific Aim 3: Produce Tissue Tracker Germlines for inducible transgene regulation in rats

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9928402
- **Project number:** 5U44DA044885-03
- **Recipient organization:** GENOMEDESIGNS LABORATORY, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** F. Kent Hamra
- **Activity code:** U44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $602,049
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-05-15 → 2022-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9928402

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9928402, Rat Germline Gene Editing Products and Services (5U44DA044885-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9928402. Licensed CC0.

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