U.S. Xenopus Resource Center Proposal—your input needed!

• U.S. Xenopus Resource Center Survey

Dear fellow Xenopus researchers,

An extraordinary opportunity has materialized to develop a Xenopus Stock Center in the US. In order to realize this possibility, we need your input and support.

In the past few months the possibility of establishing a stock center has taken on new life since the administration of the MBL has endorsed plans to house the Stock Center at Woods Hole. In order to pursue that opportunity, we approached officials at the NIH who expressed enthusiasm and have given the required permission to apply for a P40 grant to establish such a center. While not an assurance that a proposal would be funded, any positive sign from NIH in these times is encouraging.

In order to take advantage of this prospect, three of us (Richard Harland, Mustafa Khokha and I) have begun to prepare a P40 application. A primary aim of course would be to house stocks of X. laevis and X. tropicalis, including providing healthy wildtype animals for investigators. In addition we would like to see this center become a focus of intellectual activity for the Xenopus community, including potentially a transgenic facility, where such animals might be produced, a genetic resource, where mutagenized animals would be available for both forward and reverse genetic experiments, and to serve as a training facility where investigators might learn to apply these new technical approaches/methods in their own labs; the latter could involve a series of mini-courses. At present, many cell biologists use Xenopus laevis at Woods Hole in the summer, much of this for cell cycle and cytoskeletal work, and we envision this center as being able to support increased use. Also, the Embryology course at Woods Hole introduces students to Xenopus and would synergize well with the proposed center. In addition, we envision a center in which researchers would be encouraged to visit Woods Hole to undertake their own experiments and share new developments.

A tentative plan for managing the proposed resource center has been developed. A steering committee has been put in place to oversee the planning process which includes the three of us, Jim Maller, Rebecca Heald, Chris Wylie and Kris Kroll. We have identified a potential director, Dr. Jonathan Henry, Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of Illinois. Jon has a well-established research program examining lens development and regeneration in Xenopus, and extensive experience with both X. laevis and X. tropicalis. In addition he has a long-standing connection with Woods Hole which would be very advantageous in setting up and managing such a facility. Data regarding various lines and other resources would be included in Xenbase, which would be a major portal for information about the center. Gary Borisy, Director of the MBL, enthusiastically supports formation of the center and has committed appropriate space and facilities.

We write today to announce this endeavor and to seek your input regarding what you would like to see at the proposed center. During early April, after we hear your responses, a survey will be distributed to provide detailed data for the grant application regarding what kinds of lines, facilities and programs should be in the center, and as the grant deadline nears, letters of support will be requested from the community.

At this juncture, please send your comments to us at the following email address: rmglab@virginia.edu. Thoughtful and detailed input and support from the research community will be required to make this a successful proposal.

Rob Grainger
Richard Harland
Mustafa Khokha