Dr Martin Ringwald: Mouse Genome Informatics, Jackson Laboratory, USA.

Dr Martin Ringwald and the GXD programme within the division of informatics at the Jackson Laboratory has collaborated with EMAP from the beginning of the program with the goal of providing complementary and interoperable gene-expression resources for the mouse community. The EMAP Anatomy Ontology (via the mouse nomenclature database) has been incorporated in the GXD gene-expression database.

EURExpress: an EU project funded under the 6th Framework.

A transcriptome-wide acquisition of expression patterns chiefly by means of in situ hybridisation (ISH) with non-radioactive probes. More than 20,000 genes by RNA in situ hybridisation on sagittal sections from E14.5 wild type murine embryos will be collected. The data will form a web-linked, interactive digital transcriptome atlas of embryonic mouse.

GUDMAP: an NIH Project.

This project has built the GUDMAP morphological atlas and the GUDMAP in situ and micro-array gene expression database to facilitate our understanding of genitourinary (GU) development and disease. The GUDMAP Atlas is linked to the gene expression database, cell catalogue and other relevant resources. Together they provide a platform for modeling the processes of development, disease, and therapy.

EuReGene: an EU project funded under the 6th Framework.

An estimated 4.5 Million Europeans suffer from renal disorders. The death rate in patients with renal failure is 20% annually. The goal of this project is to discover genes responsible for renal development and disease, their proteins and their actions. To achieve this goal, a consortium of leading scientists, clinicians and SME partners has focussed on the development of novel technologies and discovery tools in functional genomics and their application to kidney research

DGEMap: an EU project funded under the 6th Framework.

The first ever "Design Study" for a pan-European research infrastructure dedicated to the analysis of gene expression patterns in early human development. Newcastle University (UK) was granted the coordination of DGEMap by the European Commission under the 6th Framework Programme.

FaceBase: an NIH funded pilot study.

3D image data depicting mRNA in situ hybridisation patterns for ~500 genes and imaging of other processes (cell death, cell division etc) involved in craniofacial development, at several stages of development. This work is currently being produced in the laboratories of Dr David FitzPatrick (MRC Human Genetics Unit, Edinburgh) and Dr Mike Dixon (School of Dentistry, Manchester University). This work is funded as part of the NIDCR P50 DE016215-01 Craniofacial Anomalies Research Center.

e-CHICKATLAS: a BBSRC funded project.

The aim is to develop a three-dimensional atlas and gene expression database for chick development with cross comparisons to the mouse (via EMAGE). Expression data will focus on ~1000 genes (identified as having expression in several organiser regions) at two stages of development.