P.M. BRIEFING : Medical Mice Supply Resumed
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BAR HARBOR, Me. — The nation’s No. 1 supplier of laboratory mice is up to 70% capacity after a fire one year ago today that dealt a blow to medical research projects around the world.
The blaze at Jackson Laboratory killed 400,000 mice and destroyed much of the 29-year-old breeding complex. Now it is counting on at least $10 million from the National Institutes of Health for a full recovery.
“We’ll be at 85% by the end of this summer. And we’ll be at 100% by the end of 1991 if we get the $10 million from NIH,” said Director Kenneth Paigen, who was about to assume the post when the fire broke out.
JAX mice, as they are known in the scientific community, are used in research on cancer, AIDS, diabetes, arthritis and thousands of hereditary diseases.
The research center, using frozen embryos, can breed mice of 1,700 strains to give scientists the genetic makeup they need for their experiments.
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