Animal models of human diseases are indispensable for dissecting disease pathophysiology and developing therapies. While mouse models have been extremely helpful in this process, some are inadequate due to species-specific differences in anatomy, cell biology, and/or physiology of the affected organs, as well as the evolutionary divergence of their genome. The ferret has proven an excellent species for modeling certain human diseases (especially those of the lung) when mice have failed, and technologies for genetic engineering of ferrets have expanded the potential of this species for human disease research. The major goal of this Center is to provide an NHLBI-focused centralized resource for genetic modeling in the ferret, with a focus on lung disease and the distribution of biologic resources to study cystic fibrosis ferret models. The Center also forms collaborative partnerships targeting other diseases.
