Genetically Engineered Rodent Models Core

About Us

The Genetically Engineered Rodent Models (GERM) Core possesses specialized expertise and state-of-the-art equipment for providing essential mouse services to investigators at Baylor College of Medicine and collaborative investigators of other institutes. Our Core assists investigators with projects involving the production of transgenic, targeted knockout, and targeted knock-in mouse lines. Knockout and knock-in mouse lines can be generated using gene targeting in embryonic stem (ES) cells with chimera production or CRISPR genome editing in mouse zygotes. For projects involving CRISPR genome editing, the GERM Core offers a genome editing design service (guide selection, donor DNA design, and genotyping design) in addition to an on- and off-target mutagenesis genotyping service. The GERM Core also performs cryopreservation of mouse embryos and sperm for long-term storage of mouse lines, mouse line rederivation, in vitro fertilization, and mouse colony expansion.

Services

Cryopreservation and Embryology Mouse sperm cryopreservation Mouse embryo cryopreservation Mouse in vitro fertilization Mouse colony expansion Mouse strain rederivation Shipping of Cryopreserved Sperm/Embryos Dry shipper rental Storage of PI Cryopreserved Sperm/Embryos  Transgenics Generation of transgenic mice by DNA microinjection (Traditional) Generation of transgenic mice by DNA microinjection (BAC clone)  Traditional Gene Targeting Gene targeting in mouse ES cells and chimera production Rosa26 targeting in mouse ES cells and chimera production Chimera production from investigator provided ES cells  CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing Guide RNA testing in mouse zygotes CRISPR generation of knockout mice CRISPR generation of knock-in mice using single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides (ssODNs) CRISPR generation of knock-in mice using long single-stranded DNA (lssDNA) or double-stranded DNA (dsDNA)  CRISPR/Cas9 Genotyping Founder and N1 animal PCR genotyping Founder and N1 animal Sanger sequencing Targeted analysis of off-target mutagenesis Customized Services Please contact the GERM Core at germcore@bcm.edu to discuss a project that may not fall within our listed service categories.

Getting Started

• BCM Users:  Click the link in the upper right corner to login or register for an iLab account using valid BCM credentials.
  

• Non-BCM Users:  Click the appropriate link in the upper right corner to login with your approved iLab credentials or to sign up for an iLab account.

• Visit the Customer Help Manual for further guidance using iLab's Core Facility Services.

Leadership

Jason Heaney, Ph.D. | Core Director

Phone: (713) 798-1778

Email: heaney@bcm.edu

Location and Hours of Operation

Links and Resources

• Visit our BCM core website for additional information. 

Publication Acknowledgements

Scientific publications containing data obtained using the services offered by the core should include the following statement in the acknowledgment section: This project was supported by the Genetically Engineered Rodent Model Core at BCM. The GERM Core is funded in part by the National Institutes of Health Cancer Center Grant (P30 CA125123).

Contacts