HS Rats Research

(see table below for project details)

The Center for Genetics, Genomics, and Epigenetics of Substance Use Disorders in Outbred Rats (P30DA060810) has established key core services (Administrative Core; Breeding Core; Genotyping, Analysis, and eQTL Core; and Pilot Project Core) that have given rise to a rich, international research ecosystem. A typical collaboration comes from the following sources:

U01 Grants

By far the greatest source of support have been U01 grants that were in response to PAR-15-120 “Identification of Genetic and Genomic Variants by Next-Gen Sequencing in Non-human Animal Models (U01)”. These projects have used the Breeding Core to provide HS rats and the Genotyping, Analysis, and eQTL Core to perform genotyping and have also tapped into the expertise developed by Research Project 4 (P50DA037844). All of these grants were fostered by preliminary data collected with the help of grants from Pilot Projects (Core D).

Other NIDA and NIAAA Grants

Additional grants from NIDA and NIAAA have used the HS Breeding Core.

Ancillary Phenotyping

Since the start of the P50 Center in 2014 (P50DA037844), we have behaviorally phenotyped and genotyped 4,800 rats. After behavioral phenotyping, we sacrificed each rat, performed an abbreviated necropsy, and collected tissue samples that were sent to collaborating labs for ancillary phenotyping. Several grants have arisen from our ancillary phenotyping project, in which tissues from the dissected HS rats were shared with investigators whose primary interest was in physiological phenotypes.

Please contact us to request tissue samples. We may also be able to add additional phenotyping prior to sacrifice on a fee-for-service basis. We will perform genome wide association analyses for these ancillary phenotypes on a collaborative basis.

For more information, please contact Dr. Abraham Palmer ([email protected]) and Dr. Oksana Polesskaya ([email protected]).

See also: RATTACA


HS Rats Research, Grants, and Ancillary Phenotyping Related to this Center

**(table update in progress)**

Grant #
(or Collaboration)
TitleInvestigatorsFunding Source
P50DA037844,
Project 1

(Years 1-5)
Genetic Studies of Incentive SalienceShelly Flagel, PhD
0000-0002-7309-9908
University of Michigan

Terry Robinson, PhD
0000-0001-7861-3737
University of Michigan
NIDA/NIH
P50DA037844,
Project 1


(Years 6-10)
Neurogenetic Substrates of Cocaine Addiction Paul Meyer, PhD
0000-0001-5665-2292
University at Buffalo
NIDA/NIH
P50DA037844,
Project 2
Socially-acquired nicotine self-administrationHao Chen, PhD
0000-0002-2680-6921
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
NIDA/NIH
P50DA037844,
Project 3

(Years 1-5)
Association between behavioral regulation and cocaine cue preferenceJerry Richards, PhD
University at Buffalo
NIDA/NIH
P50DA037844,
Project 3

(Years 6-10)
Association between behavioral regulation and cocaine cue preferenceDavid Dietz, PhD
0000-0002-6927-9236
University at Buffalo
NIDA/NIH
P50DA037844,
Project 4
Network-based analysisTrey Ideker, PhD
0000-0002-1708-8454
University of California San Diego
NIDA/NIH
U01DA043799Identification of Genetic Variants that Contribute to Compulsive Cocaine Intake in Rats
Olivier George, PhD
0000-0002-3700-5003
University of California San Diego

Abraham Palmer, PhD
0000-0003-3634-0747
University of California San Diego
NIDA/NIH
U01DA044451Use of Next-Gen Sequencing to Identify Genetic Variants that Influence Compulsive Oxycodone Intake in Outbred Rats Olivier George, PhD
0000-0002-3700-5003
University of California San Diego

Abraham Palmer, PhD
0000-0003-3634-0747
University of California San Diego
NIDA/NIH
U01DA044468Genomic analysis of avoidance learning in addiction
Thomas Jhou, PhD
0000-0001-8811-0156
Medical University of South Carolina
NIDA/NIH
U01DA043098Genetics of Novelty seeking and Propensity for Drug Abuse in Outbred Rats
Huda Akil, PhD
0000-0003-0623-1056
University of Michigan

Jun Li , PhD
0000-0001-6727-0812
University of Michigan
NIDA/NIH
U01DA045300The Genetic Basis of Opioid Dependence Vulnerablility in a Rodent Model Peter Kalivas, PhD
0000-0001-9487-0119
Medical University of South Carolina
NIDA/NIH
U01DA046077Identification of Genetic Features of Delay Discounting Using a Heterogeneous Stock Rat ModelSuzanne Mitchell, PhD
0000-0002-0225-7200
Oregon Health & Science University
NIDA/NIH
U01DA050239
Single-Cell Resolution Analysis of Chromatin Accessibility and Gene Expression Changes in a Model of Drug AddictionFrancesca Telese, PhD
0000-0003-3877-0628
University of California San Diego
NIDA/NIH
U01DA051234
Characterization of Tandem Repeat and Structural Variants Contributing to Addictive Behaviors in Mice and RatsAbraham Palmer, PhD
0000-0003-3634-0747
University of California San Diego

Melissa Gymrek, PhD
0000-0003-3634-0747
University of California San Diego

Jonathan Sebat, PhD
0000-0002-9087-526X
University of California San Diego
NIDA/NIH
U01DA051972
Decoding the grammar of transcriptional enhancers regulating different stages of opioid use disorderFrancesca Telese, PhD
0000-0003-3877-0628
University of California San Diego
NIDA/NIH
R01AA024112
Nicotine amplification of behavioral and neural responses to alcohol cues Paul Meyer, PhD
0000-0001-5665-2292
University at Buffalo
NIAAA/NIH
R01DA038599Dynamic Control of Cue-Driven Behavior Via the Paraventricular Thalamic Nucleus
Shelly Flagel, PhD
0000-0002-7309-9908
University of Michigan
NIDA/NIH
R01EY021200Genetic Modulators of GlaucomaMonika Jablonski, PhD
0000-0002-4021-3559
University of Tennessee Health Science Center
NEI/NIH
R01AR070879Identification of Genes Regulating Bone Matrix Composition and Quality Douglas Adams, PhD
0000-0002-6090-0516
University of Colorado

Cheryl Ackert-Bicknell, PhD
0000-0003-4253-4775
University of Colorado
NIAMS/NIH
R01DK120667Systems genetics to identify neuronal genes for diet-induced obesity Leah Solberg Woods, PhD
0000-0002-7943-798X
Wake Forest University
NIDDK/NIH
R01AA029688AA Framework for Translating Polygenic Findings Related to Alcohol Use Disorder Across Species Giordano de Guglielmo, PhD
0000-0003-1024-4116
University of California San Diego

Hae Kyung Im, PhD
0000-0001-9163-927X
University of Chicago

Abraham Palmer, PhD
0000-0003-3634-0747
University of California San Diego
NIAAA/NIH
R01AA030048Identification of Genetic Variants that Influence Compulsive Alcohol Intake in Outbred Rats Giordano de Guglielmo, PhD
0000-0003-1024-4116
University of California San Diego
NIAAA/NIH
R01HG012444
Master Regulators of Unexplained Variation in Disease Risk J. Andrew Pospisilik, PhD
0000-0002-9745-0977
Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI

Joseph Nadeau, PhD
0000-0002-9570-7361
Maine Medical Center Research, ME
NIH Office of Director
R21DA045146Identification of Neurochemical Antecedents and Consequences of Distinct Learning Processes Relevant to Addiction LiabilityShelly Flagel, PhD
0000-0002-7309-9908
University of Michigan
NIDA/NIH
NSF 2154089Computational methods for allele-specific expression quantification Seyoung Kim, PhD
0000-0003-1024-4116
Carnegie Mellon University
NSF
CMI Seed GrantGenetics of microbiome in HS ratsAbraham Palmer, PhD
0000-0003-3634-0747
University of California San Diego
UCSD, Center for Microbiome Innovation
AHW

Genetic Mapping and Gene Identification in Acute Kidney Injury Using Outbred Rats Leah Solberg Woods, PhD
0000-0002-7943-798X
Wake Forest University

Kevin R. Regner, MD, MS, FASN
Medical College of Wisconsin

Michael R. Garrett, PhD, MBA
0000-0001-5234-7928
University of Mississippi Medical Center
MCW, Advancing Healthier Wisconsin Endowment
LCF/BQ/PI21/11830006
Systems genetics analysis of host-microbiome interactions in genetically heterogeneous laboratory ratsAmelie Baud, PhD
0000-0003-2448-0283
Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona, Spain
“la Caixa” Foundation (Barcelona, Spain)
Ancillary Phenotypinghind limbArimantas Lionikas
University of Aberdeen, UK
Ancillary Phenotypingliver, serumChris Vulpe
University of Florida, US
Ancillary PhenotypingheadsDiethard Tautz
Max Planck Institute, Germany
Ancillary Phenotypingserum, fat, liver, muscle, kidneyLeah Solberg Woods
Wake Forest University, US
Ancillary Phenotypingcecum, fecal materialJohn Cryan
University College Cork, Ireland
Ancillary PhenotypingbaculumMatthew Dean
University of Southern California, US
Ancillary Phenotypingserum, brainMohit Jain
University of California San Diego, US
Ancillary Phenotypingbrain (epigenome)Francesca Telese
University of California San Diego, US
Ancillary Phenotypingfeeding behaviorsDerek Daniels
University at Buffalo, US
Ancillary Phenotypingphenotypic dataJoe Nadeau
Pacific Northwest Research Institute, US
Ancillary PhenotypingRNAseq in brain regions (from U01DA044451): Naive, Intox, Withdrawal, and Abstinence groupsRyan Logan, PhD
0000-0001-8579-015X
Boston University School of Medicine, US

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