Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center - Revision to Include Curation and Informatics Component

OVERALL COMPONENT - PROJECT SUMMARY The Ambystoma Genetic Stock Center (AGSC) at the University of Kentucky (UK) is the only federally funded resource center that distributes laboratory axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum), a salamander that provides living materials in support of biomedical research nationally and internationally. Most notably, axolotls are unique among vertebrates in being able to regenerate numerous tissues and body parts. These include the spinal cord, limbs, jaw, retina, brain, heart, and tail, all of which can be regenerated at any point during embryonic, larval, and adult life. Also, axolotls are used by researchers that work in additional areas, including neurobiology, ecotoxicology, development, physiology, cell biology, genetics, genomics, and evolution. This is an exciting time for the axolotl community as it’s incredibly large genome (32 Gb) was recently sequenced and assembled. New and assessable resources are allowing cutting edge technologies like gene-editing and single cell RNA sequencing to be performed for the first time, approaches that are rapidly accelerating discoveries using axolotl models. Since 2020, 31 different axolotl-associated projects have been awarded by NIH with support coming from multiple institutes (NICHD, NHLBI, NIDDK, NIGMS, NINDS, OD, NEI, and NCI). NIH support is catalyzing advances in biomedical research through its support of the axolotl and the AGSC, increasing the likelihood that investigators will use axolotl models in the future. During the previous funding period, the AGSC moved internally from the College of Arts and Sciences to the College of Medicine (COM) at UK. This move has strengthened the AGSC in several significant ways that clearly demonstrate long term commitment by the host institution for this irreplaceable resource. Specifically, funding was made available to replace re-circulating systems, and create a more user-friendly website to facilitate axolotl stock purchasing and more efficiently disseminate information that is useful for working with axolotls. Additionally, COM-UK has extensive experience working with university core research centers and thus provides a more stable administrative environment to support AGSC business activities and to better ensure regulatory compliance and animal health and welfare. During the current funding period, the AGSC is maintaining and generating high quality, axolotl stocks that are needed by a growing number of NIH-funded investigators. Husbandry and management practices have been modified to increase availability of post- embryonic stocks. Also, new transgenic and knock-out stocks have been imported into the AGSC and cryopreservation methods are under development to preserve and more efficiently manage stocks. The proposed Curation and Informatics Component in this revision application will increase data management efficiencies. Specifically, multiple types of data, including animal, environmental, supplies, and office data, will be managed within a single software package that enables mobile data entry and retrieval. A second objective of the Curation and Informatics Component is to better serve and interface with AGSC stakeholders. A computer systems administrator will be recruited to manage the AGSC website and overall data management plan, and a curator / outreach coordinator will be recruited to develop new website content and to interface with axolotl stakeholders. Overall, the project will increase the AGSCs impact in biomedical research and education, ensuring the distribution and long-term sustainability of axolotl resources to NIH-funded investigators.