Post by Bitten on Dec 15, 2010 8:41:26 GMT -5
FREE - Need cheek swab and blod samples for study on Wobblers, liver disease and ding
December 13, 2010
Dr. Mark Neff, Program Director with the Van Andel Research Institute and
featured health night speaker at National this year, is currently following
genetic leads in the areas of Doberman liver disease, wobblers, and dings
using cheek swab and blood specimens submitted by owners in recent months.
As many will recall, his Program for Canine Health and Performance team is
actively studying the genetics of the Doberman Pinscher. They are very
interested in expanding their studies, and research is at a point where
large numbers of specimens are needed NOW from *healthy* Dobermans for the
*fine mapping* parts of the studies. Their goal is to collect *hundreds,
ideally thousands, of cheek swab specimens* as quickly as possible.
These projects are completely driven by owner-donated samples, so we need
the Doberman community to step up and donate in large numbers. In order to
expedite the collection of a large number of samples within weeks, and to
control shipping costs (Very necessary for such a large effort),
researchers are requesting that we please batch together as many specimens
as possible. Suggestions for doing this (other ideas anyone?) include:
1. Breeders, or other owners of many Dobermans, order an appropriate number
of kits and return ship them all together.
2. Chapter clubs identify the total number of members' Dobes available to
submit and do likewise.
3. Rescue organizations with numerous (purebred) Dobermans do likewise.
4. Dobe owning friends in the same geographical region coordinate a similar
effort. One person might act as the area liaison, identify the total number
of kits needed for that area, order them, distribute/re-collect and ship
them back all together.
***Individuals or groups with 6 or more Dobermans available to provide
cheek swabs, please email Elissa directly as soon as possible to order your
kits at Elissa.Boguslawski@vai.org (not clickable, please type in).
***Individuals or groups with 5 or fewer Dobermans, please go to the
website TGen Research - The Genetics of the Doberman Pinscher and order your cheek swab kits there asap.
As before, this is Free- no cost to you, painless, and takes only a few
minutes to do in the privacy of your home. Specimen IDs are converted to
code upon arrival at the lab so it is also Completely CONFIDENTIAL.
Remember, we are blessed to have the interest of a phenomenal, top notch
researcher, WITH FUNDING (that will NOT be there forever) dedicated NOW to
studying and identifying markers for genetic diseases that kill Dobermans.
Please let's JUMP ON THIS opportunity and respond to this request with
great haste. I know its the holidays, but make this your Christmas gift to
Dobermans! If you don't celebrate Christmas, please do it in honor of a
beloved Doberman or human friend.
Dr. Neff and his team have been very impressed with the manner in which the
Doberman community responded to initial requests for samples from affected
dogs. This next step is an essential part of his research, so let's show
him how much we REALLY mean business when it comes to helping our beloved
breed!
Thank you very much, and please be in touch with any questions. PLEASE
CROSSPOST.
Kathy Davieds DVM
December 13, 2010
Dr. Mark Neff, Program Director with the Van Andel Research Institute and
featured health night speaker at National this year, is currently following
genetic leads in the areas of Doberman liver disease, wobblers, and dings
using cheek swab and blood specimens submitted by owners in recent months.
As many will recall, his Program for Canine Health and Performance team is
actively studying the genetics of the Doberman Pinscher. They are very
interested in expanding their studies, and research is at a point where
large numbers of specimens are needed NOW from *healthy* Dobermans for the
*fine mapping* parts of the studies. Their goal is to collect *hundreds,
ideally thousands, of cheek swab specimens* as quickly as possible.
These projects are completely driven by owner-donated samples, so we need
the Doberman community to step up and donate in large numbers. In order to
expedite the collection of a large number of samples within weeks, and to
control shipping costs (Very necessary for such a large effort),
researchers are requesting that we please batch together as many specimens
as possible. Suggestions for doing this (other ideas anyone?) include:
1. Breeders, or other owners of many Dobermans, order an appropriate number
of kits and return ship them all together.
2. Chapter clubs identify the total number of members' Dobes available to
submit and do likewise.
3. Rescue organizations with numerous (purebred) Dobermans do likewise.
4. Dobe owning friends in the same geographical region coordinate a similar
effort. One person might act as the area liaison, identify the total number
of kits needed for that area, order them, distribute/re-collect and ship
them back all together.
***Individuals or groups with 6 or more Dobermans available to provide
cheek swabs, please email Elissa directly as soon as possible to order your
kits at Elissa.Boguslawski@vai.org (not clickable, please type in).
***Individuals or groups with 5 or fewer Dobermans, please go to the
website TGen Research - The Genetics of the Doberman Pinscher and order your cheek swab kits there asap.
As before, this is Free- no cost to you, painless, and takes only a few
minutes to do in the privacy of your home. Specimen IDs are converted to
code upon arrival at the lab so it is also Completely CONFIDENTIAL.
Remember, we are blessed to have the interest of a phenomenal, top notch
researcher, WITH FUNDING (that will NOT be there forever) dedicated NOW to
studying and identifying markers for genetic diseases that kill Dobermans.
Please let's JUMP ON THIS opportunity and respond to this request with
great haste. I know its the holidays, but make this your Christmas gift to
Dobermans! If you don't celebrate Christmas, please do it in honor of a
beloved Doberman or human friend.
Dr. Neff and his team have been very impressed with the manner in which the
Doberman community responded to initial requests for samples from affected
dogs. This next step is an essential part of his research, so let's show
him how much we REALLY mean business when it comes to helping our beloved
breed!
Thank you very much, and please be in touch with any questions. PLEASE
CROSSPOST.
Kathy Davieds DVM
