Curation and Informatics Component: Improving data management infrastructure

Project Summary Navigation: Please read the Resource Component (page 162) before this Curation and Informatics Component. The Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center (BDSC) supports a large, worldwide community of scientists using the insect Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism for biomedical experimentation. The goals of the BDSC are to provide a collection of documented living stocks of broad value to current research, to preserve documented strains with clear future value, and to provide information and support services that promote maximal exploitation of these materials. These goals facilitate research by providing universal and rapid access to the most generally useful stocks by preserving specialty genotypes with exceptional characteristics, and by providing information that helps researchers identify stocks appropriate to their needs. The genetic technologies available to Drosophila researchers are among the most sophisticated in any multicellular organism; consequently, Drosophila is used extensively in studies of biological processes relevant to human health and investigations of molecular mechanisms underlying disease. As the most comprehensive source of stocks for genetic experimentation with Drosophila, the BDSC is central to the success of thousands of research projects and hundreds of NIH grants yearly. The first specific aim of this proposal is to continue acquiring, maintaining and distributing Drosophila strains while simultaneously eliminating obsolete stocks. The work will preserve federal investments in genetic resource development by maintaining stocks securely using regimented practices. It aims to maximize the rigor and reproducibility of genetic studies by encouraging stock reuse. The second specific aim is to continue developing robust and transparent information resources to meet the operational needs of the facility and the research needs of Drosophila scientists while maintaining and promoting excellent user support. The third specific aim is to undertake research to increase the utility of one of the largest subsets of BDSC stocks, the split-GAL stocks, which were developed to characterize neurons in the brain. Split-GAL4 transgenes are used to force expression of other transgenes in cell-specific patterns, allowing investigators to manipulate cell characteristics experimentally in otherwise normal individuals. The research proposed here aims to characterize the expression of split-GAL4 transgenes outside the brain to benefit the analysis of diverse cell types and to help distinguish the physiological effects of gene expression in the brain versus other tissues in split-GAL4 studies. Key to all three aims is the administration and advancement of the existing, highly successful cost recovery program that finances most operational expenses from user fees. Consequently, the proposal focuses on support and development of the core management team as the most effective way to leverage the investment of federal funds.