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V O L . X X I I N O. X X I V O C T O B E R 1 7 , 2 0 1 6 20 M I D C O A S T / D OW N E A S T R E G I O N F O C U S "CRISPR also cuts the time to make a new mouse from about one year to a few weeks or a few months now," says Gareth Howell, associate profes- sor at JAX and one of the NIA grant recipients, along with colleagues Greg Carter, associate profes- sor, and Mike Sasner, associate director. "We aim to better understand how genetics correlates with outcomes in Alzheimer's. Our center will identify the most likely [genetic] variants." He says that the ultimate goal is to generate new mouse models to distribute to the scientific commu- nity for preclinical testing. at may eventually trans- late into earlier diagnosis of the disease and potentially the development of new drugs to slow its progression. But again, like Trowbridge, Howell emphasizes that doing science takes money, and even with his lab's substantial funding, it needs more to move the science forward so it can be applied to humans. "We can make more mouse mutations with CRISPR for less, but we still need more funding," says Howell. Still, JAX is pulling in handsome amounts of money for new research, including an $11.7 million grant over five years from the National Institute of Drug Abuse to create a new Center for Systems Neurogenetics of Addiction. "We'll look at a lot of traits together," says Elissa Chesler, associate professor in the lab. "We'll look at the mice populations we've developed and what genes influence impulsivity, drug seeking and sensation seek- ing." She says these traits must be studied to see how they are related, and how a biological predisposition to take risks in life, including in sports or new business opportunities, might be related to those people leaning toward trying a new drug. "We're trying to understand what's driving a particular person to take drugs," she says. It's a topic of intense interest in Maine, which like many states is struggling with a high rate of opioid addiction. Growth and collaboration Jackson Lab is a giant among the three science laboratories and schools in Bar Harbor, the other two being MDI Biological Laboratory and College of the Atlantic. Jackson Lab has doubled the number of build- ings on its main campus on Mount Desert Island since 2002, and one more is in progress there and another one in nearby Ellsworth. e $21 million Center for Biometric Analysis, known on campus as the "mouse hospital," is set for completion at the end of 2017 and used a $10 million state bond. Hewett says the first phase of the Ellsworth facil- ity in a converted Lowe's store should be ready for the mice to move in on Jan. 2, 2018. e $75 million to $90 million for that phase came out of the lab's capi- tal budget. He says the lab is hoping for phase 2 sup- port from a $50 million bond issue vote in June 2017 to add 52,000 mouse boxes, up from the 16,000 boxes in the first phase. ose two phases will be about 200,000 square feet. A third phase would add 40,000 to 50,000 square feet and bring the total number of mouse houses to 100,000. Hewett expects to hire about 320 people for the first two phases, and he's unsure of the numbers for phase 3. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E WHERE DREAMS TAKE FLIGHT "Selecting a construction partner who understood our needs and embraced our vision was critical to achieving our decade-long dream of building a new first-class facility. The Landry/French team provided creative solutions to the project's challenges, overcame scheduling hurdles, and built a quality facility that reflects our commitment to delivering excellent customer service." --Allyn J. Caruso, MAC Air Group From Left: Allyn Caruso, Alysan Caruso, MAC Air Group; Denis Landry, Kevin French, Landry/French Construction Gareth Howell Associate professor Research: Studies Alzheimer's disease in new mouse models that are more similar to human disease. Greg Carter Associate professor Research: Works with Gareth Howell on Alzheimer's research and develops analytical tools. Elissa Chesler Associate professor Research: Researches the genetics underlying behavior and identifies the biological basis for behaviorial traits, especially addictions. P H O T O S / C O U R T E S Y JA C K S O N L A BO R AT O R Y

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