Common Resources for Feline Genomics: Whole Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing of Universal Controls

Principal Investigator: Rory Todhunter

Department of Clinical Sciences
Sponsor: Cornell Feline Health Center Research Grants Program
Title: Common Resources for Feline Genomics: Whole Genome and Transcriptome Sequencing of Universal Controls
Project Amount: $115,842
Project Period: July 2017 to June 2019

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): 

An estimated 80 million cats in American households suffer from 334 inherited traits (OMIA searched 12/20/16) which include 199 models of cognate human diseases. Of these, 93 have a Mendelian inheritance pattern with 61 known mutations, leaving hundreds of complex diseases with unknown genetic basis. The random bred domestic cat is the most commonly owned and admitted to our Hospital and suffers from these complex diseases. With the support of the Feline Health Center and the Lanciani fund at the Baker Institute, the Cornell Veterinary Biobank contains over 1,000 DNA samples and 222 tissue samples from over 100 unique cats. These samples will be essential for well-powered, genome wide association studies (GWAS) to come. Sophisticated tools are needed to dissect the genetic basis of complex feline diseases.