TRAP-FLIP: A NOVEL GENE TRAP APPROACH THAT ALLOWS ALLELIC EXCHANGE

The study of the molecular basis of human genetic diseases is strongly supported by the availability of experimental models, which reproduce the features of the disease. One of the most efficient ways to create models of human diseases is based on the so-called technique of "gene knockout". In this technique, the disease gene under study is "turned off" in model organisms, by experimental techniques, to determine the consequences of its inactivation and to verify whether it is possible in this way to reproduce the human disease. However, this experimental procedure is very expensive and time consuming. In this project, we propose to use novel techniques able to generate, in a more efficient and rapid way, experimental models of human genetic disorders that can be invaluable tools for the understanding of their molecular causes and for the design of possible therapeutic strategies.