About

LAGS was created in 2006 and was housed at the Science Park campus. It moved to the Houston campus in 2022. LAGS provides customized genome scans using genetic markers (mouse, rats, and rhesus monkeys) for PIs in several departments and CCSG program at all three MD Anderson campuses (Houston, Smithville, and Bastrop), as well as users from the wider University of Texas and other locations in the USA and abroad. Historically, the core has supported peer-reviewed publications in journals with high impact like Nature, Science, Cell, Molecular Cell, and PNAS. LAGS has expanded their services to include 10K SNPs array for background characterization and sub-strain identification.

Dr. Benavides (Director) and Dr. Pérez (Senior Research Scientist) are veterinarians with PhDs in mouse genetics. Dr. Benavides is also an ACLAM boarded laboratory animal veterinarian. Their combined expertise include genotyping, genetic background characterization and marker-assisted backcrossing of genetically modified mouse lines. Dr. Benavides offers rodent genetic consultations both institution-wide and internationally. Dr. Benavides and Dr. Pérez have  backgrounds in positional cloning of spontaneous mutations and have collaborated on and published several new mouse models.

LAGS provides investigators with cost-effective, customized genetic analysis for laboratory animal studies. Additional services for other laboratory animal species could also be developed upon discussion. Our services also include free consultation on mouse and rat genetics, including standard nomenclature.  

• Fast, accurate gene-specific genotyping for knock-out and knock-in mice generated by CRISPR/Cas9 to detect small indels and single nucleotide variations via allele-specific fluorescent PCR (New service coming soon! Please contact Dr. Benavides for details)
• Background characterization of GEM and mouse ES cells with a rapid 100 SNP panel or a new, comprehensive 10K SNP panel 
• Marker (SNP) assisted backcrossing (speed congenics)
• C57BL/6J versus C57BL/6N sub-strain identification with a rapid 12 SNP assay or a new, detailed 245 SNP assay
• Passenger mutation PCR for GEM lines (e.g., Crb1rd8 in C57BL/6/N and Nnt deletion in C57BL/6/J)
• Mouse Major Histocompatibility Complex H2 haplotyping (PCR-RFLP based)
• Mouse cell line strain of origin identification using a 100 SNP panel
• Helicobacter spp. diagnostic real-time PCR from mouse fecal pellets
• Free consultation on mouse and rat genetics (including standard nomenclature)

Please remember to acknowledge the core in publications that use core services. Go to the acknowledgment page for more information.