Doggie DNA used to look into human psychiatric problems

KQED Public Broadcasting in San Francisco recently did a radio story about the UC San Francisco Canine Behavioral Genetics Project run in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania. The aims of the project are:

1. To explore the relationship between genes and behavior, both normal and abnormal, in domestic dogs.

2. To assess the amount and nature of genetic diversity in domestic dogs, both within and between breeds. 

Melanie Chang of the CBG project

Anyone wishing to send in their dog’s DNA can visit the site:

http://www.k9behavioralgenetics.com/ 

Dog DNA samples waiting to be processed at the CBG project 

However, it is often said dogs and their owners resemble each other. Now, researchers within this project are looking for those connections on a whole new level. They’re searching for the genes that cause common psychiatric problems in humans – by looking at the DNA of dogs. Have a listen to this very interesting broadcast:

http://www.kqed.org/quest/radio/view/836

Elaine Warburton  www.geneticsandhealth.com