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Boycott KM, Campeau PM, Howley HE, Pavlidis P, Rogic S, Oriel C, Berman JN, Hamilton RM, Hicks GG, Lipshitz HD, Masson JY, Shoubridge EA, Junker A, Leroux MR, McMaster CR, Michaud JL, Turvey SE, Dyment D, Innes AM, van Karnebeek CD, Lehman A, Cohn RD, MacDonald IM, Rachubinski RA, Frosk P, Vandersteen A, Wozniak RW, Pena IA, Wen XY, Lacaze-Masmonteil T, Rankin C, Hieter P. The Canadian Rare Diseases Models and Mechanisms (RDMM) Network: Connecting Understudied Genes to Model Organisms. Am J Hum Genet 2020; 106:143-152. [PMID: 32032513 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2020.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in genomics have transformed our ability to identify the genetic causes of rare diseases (RDs), yet we have a limited understanding of the mechanistic roles of most genes in health and disease. When a novel RD gene is first discovered, there is minimal insight into its biological function, the pathogenic mechanisms of disease-causing variants, and how therapy might be approached. To address this gap, the Canadian Rare Diseases Models and Mechanisms (RDMM) Network was established to connect clinicians discovering new disease genes with Canadian scientists able to study equivalent genes and pathways in model organisms (MOs). The Network is built around a registry of more than 500 Canadian MO scientists, representing expertise for over 7,500 human genes. RDMM uses a committee process to identify and evaluate clinician-MO scientist collaborations and approve 25,000 Canadian dollars in catalyst funding. To date, we have made 85 clinician-MO scientist connections and funded 105 projects. These collaborations help confirm variant pathogenicity and unravel the molecular mechanisms of RD, and also test novel therapies and lead to long-term collaborations. To expand the impact and reach of this model, we made the RDMM Registry open-source, portable, and customizable, and we freely share our committee structures and processes. We are currently working with emerging networks in Europe, Australia, and Japan to link international RDMM networks and registries and enable matches across borders. We will continue to create meaningful collaborations, generate knowledge, and advance RD research locally and globally for the benefit of patients and families living with RD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kym M Boycott
- CHEO Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada.
| | - Philippe M Campeau
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Ste-Justine, Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Heather E Howley
- CHEO Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Paul Pavlidis
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Sanja Rogic
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Christine Oriel
- Maternal Infant Child and Youth Research Network (MICYRN), Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada
| | - Jason N Berman
- CHEO Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Robert M Hamilton
- Labatt Family Heart Centre and Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada
| | - Geoffrey G Hicks
- Regenerative Medicine Program, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Medical Genetics, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 3P5, Canada
| | - Howard D Lipshitz
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Jean-Yves Masson
- Oncology Division, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Laval University Cancer Research Center, Quebec City, QC, G1R 3S3, Canada
| | - Eric A Shoubridge
- Department of Human Genetics, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Anne Junker
- Department of Pediatrics, British Columbia Children's Hospital Research Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Michel R Leroux
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | | | - Jaques L Michaud
- Centre de Recherche du CHU Ste-Justine, Department of Pediatrics, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
| | - Stuart E Turvey
- Department of Human Genetics, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - David Dyment
- CHEO Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - A Micheil Innes
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Clara D van Karnebeek
- Department of Human Genetics, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Clinical Genetics, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Anna Lehman
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - Ronald D Cohn
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, SickKids Research Institute, Department of Paediatrics and Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Ian M MacDonald
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R7, Canada
| | - Richard A Rachubinski
- Genetics and Genome Biology Program, SickKids Research Institute, Department of Paediatrics and Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Patrick Frosk
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1S1, Canada
| | - Anthony Vandersteen
- Department of Pediatrics, Maritime Medical Genetics Service, Dalhousie University, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada
| | - Richard W Wozniak
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Izabella A Pena
- CHEO Research Institute, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Xiao-Yan Wen
- Zebrafish Centre for Advanced Drug Discovery, Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5B 1T8
| | - Thierry Lacaze-Masmonteil
- Maternal Infant Child and Youth Research Network (MICYRN), Vancouver, BC V5Z 4H4, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Catharine Rankin
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Philip Hieter
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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