GEMM

Ah, bless the little mouse, once again! Do you know what is meant by the letters GEMM? Well, I do now. It stands for “genetically engineered mouse model”. In constructing a GEMM one apparently modifies the normal murine genome in such a way as to cause the poor rodent to contract something like a human disorder, then experiment to find a cure. The research described below is of that nature. The participants have identified a protein that dramatically assists in the growth of ovarian cancer. This protein (USP13) is very scarce in normal ovarian tissue but abundant in cases of disease. More research is underway to determine how USP13 does its dirty work and, of course, how to strangle it at birth. https://www.cancer.org/research/acs-research-highlights/ovarian-cancer-research-highlights/a-new-gene-is-linked-with-the-deadliest-type-of-ovarian-cancer.html