From: "Hansen, Liz A." <HansenL@missouri.edu>
To: "'Kerry Meydam'"
Subject: RE: Lens Luxation/Glaucoma Study
Date: Fri, 11 Jan 2002 13:40:54 -0600

Hello Kerry,
Thank you for your interest in the research. Yes, we are willing to accept samples from Samoyeds with glaucoma and their immediate relatives. To make progress, we will need DNA samples from affected dogs, their siblings, parents, and any offspring (along with the other parent of the offspring). Family groups give us the best information, and the normal relatives of affected dogs are just as important to sample as the affected dogs.  Family groups do not all have to be sent together - we realize that usually they will be spread out around the country, and need to come from many places.

A website for this project is under construction, but we do have the forms and instructions for sending samples posted on our Canine Epilepsy Network website. Procedures are the same for all our DNA projects, so these will also work for sending glaucoma samples.

We have a website for all our projects now, www.CanineGeneticDiseases.net, and if you go there, click on "Glaucoma and Lens Luxation" for project info, and the instructions and forms (in "Sample Submission") to participate (updated 5/3/04).  If you'd prefer, I can fax or mail them instead. For any dogs who have had an ophthalmologic exam, please also include a copy of that exam report with the other information. Note that there is a special instruction sheet for sending samples from outside the US, to be sure the package clears Customs (fanciers in Canada will need this information).

Thank you again for your interest. I hope that we can get enough participation from owners of Samoyeds affected by this devastating condition so that we can make some headway for your breed. Please let me know if you have additional questions. Hopefully we will soon see some Samoyed samples coming in!

Liz Hansen
Animal Molecular Genetics Lab
321 Connaway Hall
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
573-884-3712 (phone)
573-884-5414 (department fax)
HansenL@missouri.edu
Canine Epilepsy Network website - www.canine-epilepsy.net