<html><body><div style="font-family: verdana,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000"><div>Dear Xenopus colleagues</div><div> Following the successful conference in Asilomar I am preparing an R01 application for the Xenopus PAR deadline at the end of this month focusing on generating 100 Xenopus mutants using CRISPR/Cas or TALEN in Xenopus tropicalis or Xenopus laevis. These are mutants that you would like made. The goal is to make F0 or F1 heterozygous mutant animals in specific genes and have the adults available for purchase. But in order for this to be successful I need your support. Since the NIH has an emphasis on animal models of human disease I am asking you to link your desired gene mutation with a specific human disease. I have drafted a committee of individuals from diverse fields to help prioritize the mutants so as not to exclude areas of research. This is a long term plan but one we should all support. Much like other systems the goal should be to mutate all genes, but we will start with a smaller number. If this interests you I have two requests</div><div><br></div><div> <strong>First</strong>, complete the survey <span style="font-size: 12pt;">as soon as possible so I can compile the list and include it in the grant. The survey is found at this URL:</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.mbl.edu/xenopus/mutant_survey">http://www.mbl.edu/xenopus/mutant_survey</a></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <strong>Second</strong>, I also ask that you send me letters of support for this project to include in the application. In this letter please address the necessity of such a project, your specific interests and how this will benefit the entire community and should be supported.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thank you for your support and I look forward to working with you in making the mutants.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Marko Horb</span></div><div><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br></span></div><div><font size="3">P.S. The custom mutant service the NXR provides is still the </font>best<font size="3"> option if you want a mutant sooner rather than later. </font></div><div><br></div><div><span name="x"></span>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>Marko Horb, Ph.D.<br>Director, National Xenopus Resource (NXR)<br>Marine Biological Laboratory<br>7 MBL Street<br>Woods Hole, MA 02543<br><div><br></div>Email: xenopus@mbl.edu<br>Office: 508-289-7627<br>Cell: 508-564-3764<br><div><br></div>http://www.mbl.edu/xenopus<br>https://twitter.com/xenopusnxr<span name="x"></span><br></div><div><br></div></div></body></html>