"LET'S SEE TO IT"
Fundraiser for health research on Berger Picard ocular diseases
August 19th, 2019
This is an important matter for the future of our breed!
For many years now researchers at the University of Missouri have been trying to identify the gene or genes responsible for ocular diseases such as PRA and CMR in Berger Picards. The identification of the gene(s) will enable the scientists to create a screening test that will allow the identification of healthy carriers. Without such a tool the diseases will remain and grow within the gene pool causing impaired vision or vision loss to remain an unpredictable threat to all Berger Picards.
Liz Hansen from the Animal Molecular Genetics Laboratory of the University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine, sent us a very encouraging update on the Berger Picard Health research they are conducting. I will be sharing her email with you below but, to come to the point immediately, we would like to participate in the effort of raising money to conduct further research to identify the genes responsible for ocular problems in Picards, based on this promising break through.
We are officially launching the "LET'S SEE TO IT" campaign with what may seem an ambitious goal! We wish to raise $1,000 by the end of the summer.
True, we are a very small Club with a membership that has never exceeded 60 members. But we are very resourceful and we believe our Picards are well worth every effort we will put into this. As they say, "All that is impossible remains to be accomplished", so LET'S SEE TO IT!
At our National Specialty, on August 24th, a table will be entirely dedicated to our "LET'S SEE TO IT" campaign. Many items will be either for sale or raffled off. All proceed will be put in this special fund and we will keep you updated on the progress towards our $1,000 goal.
Obviously not all of you can make it to the Specialty so other opportunities to help out will be offered to you. We will start our fund raising campaign by offering you this awesome Berger Picard cap. A few will be offered in pre-sale at the specialty but as soon as we get back we will set up order forms so you all can take advantage of this great opportunity.
We also will be setting up a short survey to identify what Berger Picard items might please you, your families and your friends the most.
I hope you are all as committed as I am that we can achieve this goal because we care for the future of our Picards.
Together LET'S SEE TO IT!
If you wish to make a donation towards the research fund, no amount is too small,you can either do it by
email transfer to [email protected], or by PayPal to [email protected].
Different items such as Berger Picard caps, key chains and bags will soon be on sale through or Facebook page, come and visit us!
August 31st, 2019
UPDATE ON THE SUMS COLLECTED AT THE NATIONAL SPECIALTY THROUGH THE DIFFERENT RAFFLES AND DONATIONS:
WE HAVE REACHED 475$
Message received from :
“Hansen, Liz A. <[email protected]>
To:and 3 more...
Jul 16 at 7:41 PM
Berger Picard Research Update – July 2019
We have some good news to report! Using new software available for analysis of whole genome sequence (WGS) data, and with an additional Picard WGS available from another research center, we recently ran a new breed mutation report for Picards. This report used WGS data from 6 Picards – 1 reported normal, 1 with epilepsy, 1 with CMR (canine multifocal retinopathy) and 3 with PRA (progressive retinal atrophy)- each with a different age of onset of retinal changes. For this analysis, the person evaluating data decided to lump PRA and CMR together as “retinal disease” and look for mutations in genes known to be active in the retina. Doing this, we came up with 3 mutations in 3 different genes, that appear to be very interesting candidates. All 3 of these genes are active in the retina, and linked to retinitis pigmentosa in humans – the equivalent of PRA in dogs. The 4 dogs with retinal disease are all homozygous for the mutation in all 3 genes (2 mutated copies of each gene), the other 2 dogs with normal eyes are normal or carrier for these mutations. Very exciting!
SO – what happens next? We have designed assays to evaluate these 3 mutations efficiently, and will begin screening Picards that are DNA banked (at the University of Missouri) for any reason. Eye exam records for all banked Picards have been recorded so we know which dogs have been reported normal, and which dogs have been reported with any retinal disease – and which dogs have no report and will be left out of the screening.
What is needed now?
From owners & breeders – we need 1) confirmation of normal status, or updated eye status if any dogs previously reported normal have been recently diagnosed with any retinal disease for dogs that have not had a recent recorded exam; 2) eye exams on dogs that are DNA banked but have not had a recorded exam; and 3) samples from any Picards diagnosed with retinal disease that have not previously been DNA banked.
From clubs or interested groups of fanciers – design and production of the assays, cost of reagents and consumables, and technician time to thoroughly evaluate these mutations will cost our lab about $5000. If the parent clubs in various countries could each contribute some of this total, it would be less burden than asking one group to come up with the total, and would be greatly appreciated!
This is an exciting development, and hopefully is a big step toward answers that Picard fanciers worldwide are looking for. Please contribute information, samples, and funds to move this forward!
Please email questions to [email protected].
Thanks to everyone that has contributed so far, and those who will contribute now to help us reach answers!
Liz
(and yes, you may share this information with other clubs or owners)
Liz Hansen
Animal Molecular Genetics Laboratory
University of Missouri - College of Veterinary Medicine
This is an important matter for the future of our breed!
For many years now researchers at the University of Missouri have been trying to identify the gene or genes responsible for ocular diseases such as PRA and CMR in Berger Picards. The identification of the gene(s) will enable the scientists to create a screening test that will allow the identification of healthy carriers. Without such a tool the diseases will remain and grow within the gene pool causing impaired vision or vision loss to remain an unpredictable threat to all Berger Picards.
Liz Hansen from the Animal Molecular Genetics Laboratory of the University of Missouri, College of Veterinary Medicine, sent us a very encouraging update on the Berger Picard Health research they are conducting. I will be sharing her email with you below but, to come to the point immediately, we would like to participate in the effort of raising money to conduct further research to identify the genes responsible for ocular problems in Picards, based on this promising break through.
We are officially launching the "LET'S SEE TO IT" campaign with what may seem an ambitious goal! We wish to raise $1,000 by the end of the summer.
True, we are a very small Club with a membership that has never exceeded 60 members. But we are very resourceful and we believe our Picards are well worth every effort we will put into this. As they say, "All that is impossible remains to be accomplished", so LET'S SEE TO IT!
At our National Specialty, on August 24th, a table will be entirely dedicated to our "LET'S SEE TO IT" campaign. Many items will be either for sale or raffled off. All proceed will be put in this special fund and we will keep you updated on the progress towards our $1,000 goal.
Obviously not all of you can make it to the Specialty so other opportunities to help out will be offered to you. We will start our fund raising campaign by offering you this awesome Berger Picard cap. A few will be offered in pre-sale at the specialty but as soon as we get back we will set up order forms so you all can take advantage of this great opportunity.
We also will be setting up a short survey to identify what Berger Picard items might please you, your families and your friends the most.
I hope you are all as committed as I am that we can achieve this goal because we care for the future of our Picards.
Together LET'S SEE TO IT!
If you wish to make a donation towards the research fund, no amount is too small,you can either do it by
email transfer to [email protected], or by PayPal to [email protected].
Different items such as Berger Picard caps, key chains and bags will soon be on sale through or Facebook page, come and visit us!
August 31st, 2019
UPDATE ON THE SUMS COLLECTED AT THE NATIONAL SPECIALTY THROUGH THE DIFFERENT RAFFLES AND DONATIONS:
WE HAVE REACHED 475$
Message received from :
“Hansen, Liz A. <[email protected]>
To:and 3 more...
Jul 16 at 7:41 PM
Berger Picard Research Update – July 2019
We have some good news to report! Using new software available for analysis of whole genome sequence (WGS) data, and with an additional Picard WGS available from another research center, we recently ran a new breed mutation report for Picards. This report used WGS data from 6 Picards – 1 reported normal, 1 with epilepsy, 1 with CMR (canine multifocal retinopathy) and 3 with PRA (progressive retinal atrophy)- each with a different age of onset of retinal changes. For this analysis, the person evaluating data decided to lump PRA and CMR together as “retinal disease” and look for mutations in genes known to be active in the retina. Doing this, we came up with 3 mutations in 3 different genes, that appear to be very interesting candidates. All 3 of these genes are active in the retina, and linked to retinitis pigmentosa in humans – the equivalent of PRA in dogs. The 4 dogs with retinal disease are all homozygous for the mutation in all 3 genes (2 mutated copies of each gene), the other 2 dogs with normal eyes are normal or carrier for these mutations. Very exciting!
SO – what happens next? We have designed assays to evaluate these 3 mutations efficiently, and will begin screening Picards that are DNA banked (at the University of Missouri) for any reason. Eye exam records for all banked Picards have been recorded so we know which dogs have been reported normal, and which dogs have been reported with any retinal disease – and which dogs have no report and will be left out of the screening.
What is needed now?
From owners & breeders – we need 1) confirmation of normal status, or updated eye status if any dogs previously reported normal have been recently diagnosed with any retinal disease for dogs that have not had a recent recorded exam; 2) eye exams on dogs that are DNA banked but have not had a recorded exam; and 3) samples from any Picards diagnosed with retinal disease that have not previously been DNA banked.
From clubs or interested groups of fanciers – design and production of the assays, cost of reagents and consumables, and technician time to thoroughly evaluate these mutations will cost our lab about $5000. If the parent clubs in various countries could each contribute some of this total, it would be less burden than asking one group to come up with the total, and would be greatly appreciated!
This is an exciting development, and hopefully is a big step toward answers that Picard fanciers worldwide are looking for. Please contribute information, samples, and funds to move this forward!
Please email questions to [email protected].
Thanks to everyone that has contributed so far, and those who will contribute now to help us reach answers!
Liz
(and yes, you may share this information with other clubs or owners)
Liz Hansen
Animal Molecular Genetics Laboratory
University of Missouri - College of Veterinary Medicine