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Canine gene database to enhance biomedical research
"The DoGA database is expected to have a significant impact on both veterinary and human medicine" - Professor Hannes Lohi.

Resource provides insights for health studies in dogs and humans. 

A new international database, the DoGa atlas, has been created, containing more than 100 different canine tissues to help researchers better understand gene regulation.

Hailed as a significant milestone in genetics research, the DoGA atlas is set to markedly improve understanding of hereditary diseases and provide insights for health research in dogs and humans.

The database is the result of close collaboration between researchers in genomics, veterinary medicine, and computational biology, known as the DoGa Consortium. Together, they collected more than 5,000 samples from wolves and various dog breeds using advanced RNA sequencing techniques.

PhD Matthias Hörtenhuber, one of the leading authors of the article from Karolinska Insitutet, Stockholm, said: "We created a research resource that significantly enhances the use of dogs as a model for human health research, as well as directly for studying canine genetics.

“We demonstrated the potential of the database with several examples for different research purposes, such as comparing changes during embryonic development, the expression of disease genes in various tissues, and the regulation of genes related to behavioral traits.”

The database reveals which genes are active in different parts of the body and when they are activated. This aids researchers in understanding how genes function in various situations and their impact on health and diseases.

It enables researchers to study gene expression in different tissues, and facilitates the prioritisation of hereditary factors linked to diseases – therefore encouraging research between dogs and humans.

Furthermore, the data may also be used to map genes linked to cancer, epilepsy and physciatric disorders.

Professor Hannes Lohi, one of the lead researchers of the study from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Medicine at the University of Helsinki, said: "By improving our understanding of gene regulation in both dogs and wolves, the DoGA database is expected to have a significant impact on both veterinary and human medicine.

“For example, we can investigate how much the brains of dogs and wolves differ from each other. Additionally, the unique genetic history and breed structures of dogs, combined with the new functional gene map, provide an effective framework for studying genetic diseases."

 

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Antibiotic Amnesty survey opens

News Story 1
 The Responsible Use of Medicines Alliance - Companion Animal and Equine (RUMA - CA&E) has launched a survey which seeks to measure the success of this year's Antibiotic Amnesty campaign.

Its results will help the group to calculate how many unused or out-of-date antibiotics were returned as part of the campaign throughout November. Practices are also asked how they engaged with clients to raise awareness of the issue.

Participating practices can enter a prize draw to win up to 100 in vouchers for taking part. Further prizes from BSAVA and Webinar Vet will be available for practices with the best input.

The survey takes a few minutes to complete and will be running throughout December. It can be accessed via this link

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.