Science Friday > Archives > 2004 > July
> July 23,
2004:
Hour Two: Epigenetics / Ode to the Lab Mouse
Millions of lab mice are at work in the United States, helping scientists understand human disease and pinch-hitting for us in tests and experiments. In this hour of Science Friday, we'll take a look at the history of the lab mouse. How did it come to be such an important research animal? And what can a furry creature a fraction of our size with a three-year life span tell us about ourselves?
Plus, the emerging science of epigenetics: inherited genetic information that isn't in the form of genes. Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (3-4 Eastern), and share your opinions online in our Listeners' Lounge (registration required).
Guests:
Barbara Knowles
Director of Research
The Jackson Laboratory
Bar Harbor, Maine
Karen Rader
Author: "Making
Mice: Standardizing Animals for American Biomedical Research 1900-1955"
(Princeton University Press, 2004)
Marylin Simpson Chair of Science
and Society
Sarah Lawrence College
Bronxville, New York
*************************
Andrew Feinberg
King Fahd Professor, Department
of Medicine
Molecular Biology and Genetics,
and Oncology
Director, Center
for the Epigenetics of Common Human Disease
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland
This segment produced by Annette
Heist
Archived Audio:
Ode to the Lab Mouse
listen
in RealAudio format
listen
in Windows Media format
epigenetics
listen
in RealAudio format
listen
in Windows Media format
streaming audio help
from NPR
Related Links:
Natural
History Magazine | Feature: A Mouse's Tale
The
Scientist - Test Tubes With Tails
OF
MICE AND MEN / Striking similarities at the DNA level could aid research
MGI
3.0 - Mouse Genome Informatics
Mouse
Genome Resources
Knockout
mice
Sun
article (Dec 2002): History of the Laboratory Mouse
The
Scientist - The Meaning of Epigenetics
Science
Functional Genomics Resources: Epigenetics
Backgrounder:
Epigenetics and Imprinted Genes
Books/Articles Discussed:
"Making
Mice: Standardizing Animals for American Biomedical Research 1900-1955"
by Karen Rader. Princeton University Press, 2004.
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